Saturday, October 3, 2026
10:00AM-3:00PM
Michigan Library and Historical Center
Historians, librarians, archivists, students, and all other local history practitioners are invited to join us on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at the Michigan Library and Historical Center in Lansing, MI for the Mid-Michigan Local History Conference. Featuring a keynote presentation and 2-tracks of breakout sessions, learn from fellow practitioners and enjoy opportunities to engage with other organizations around the Mid-Michigan region.
This training provides a practical overview of grant writing and grant management, from identifying funding opportunities to developing strong, compliant proposals and managing submission processes. Participants will learn strategies for researching funders, evaluating grant opportunities, coordinating internal teams, and building the organizational systems and communication skills that support success. The session also highlights common pitfalls, real-world best practices, and tools for working more strategically and efficiently as a grant professional.
The physical journey and political evolution of Malcolm Little from the time he was a late teenager through the tragic end of his adult life at age 39 is well known to readers of one of the best-selling books of all time: The Autobiography of Malcolm X. His narrative continues to be compelling, even over 60 years after his death. Less well understood, however, is how his early life and family upbringing in Lansing and Mason, Michigan contributed to the development of his later political philosophies. This talk will explore the places and spaces around the Lansing area that were important to Malcolm and his family and explain how his later-life Pan-Africanist views grew out of roots nurtured deep in the Lansing soil by his family and, especially, his mother Louise Little. It is a family history story of a figure many know but fewer understand, and a story of how a mother nurtured her own Pan-Africanism in her children during the early decades of the 20th century in the predominantly white communities of mid-Michigan.
Small organizations are often under-staffed and under-resourced, but that doesn't stop them from having big goals! This presentation will help attendees “right size” their goals and utilize the resources available to them in order to plan and execute a successful digitization project.
The Red Cedar River is one of the most notable and beloved features of the Michigan State University campus, with the opening line of the MSU fight song encapsulating the role the river plays in the hearts and minds of all Spartans while grounding it within the campus that is “on the banks of the Red Cedar.” The history of the river and its relationship to MSU’s is long and complex, reaching back to the very founding of the school, yet the Red Cedar’s role is largely overlooked in historical accounts of the campus founding. Additionally, while the Red Cedar remains an icon of MSU it is also misunderstood by many members of the community who regard it as dirty and dangerous. While concerns about pollution and the safety of the river may have been valid up until the 1970s, the river today is much improved and part of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. It is through learning the history of the Red Cedar that we can understand the river today and its place within the MSU community.
Bob went from a team of archivists at the Archives of Michigan to the “lone arranger” of Lansing Community College. He faced several challenges, including limited space, lack of environmental controls, no public reading room, and, initially, no support staff. Nonetheless, he also possessed some advantages. Come hear the ups and downs of Bob’s solo archivist journey.
After the Erie Canal opened in 1825, Michigan saw a large influx of settlers from the east seeking cheaper land. One of the first structures arriving families built after their homes were safe and warm, was a schoolhouse. That structure often served as a community center and a meeting place for religious services until a church was built. Other common structures included a post office, usually housed within a general store, and one or two other businesses such as a blacksmith or livery. This presentation will share surviving visible evidence of early buildings, some that no longer exist, cemeteries and infrastructure of many of Ingham County’s ghost towns.
Several Mid-Michigan area libraries, archives, and historical organizations will have exhibit tables in the Michigan Library and Historical Center rotunda throughout the conference. If your organization is interested in having an exhibit table, used the link below or email Librarian@Michigan.gov. Please include:
Note: Exhibit space is limited. Acceptance of exhibitors is at the discretion of the Mid-Michigan Local History Conference planning team.
As Lansing Community College’s first official College Archivist, Bob Garrett works avidly to collect, preserve and promote LCC’s history. He has been at LCC since November 2023 and previously served 23 years as an archivist for the Archives of Michigan. He holds a dual master’s degree in library science and history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
When he’s not archiving, Bob likes to read history books, watch Marvel movies and play euchre. He enjoys being married to Christiane Evaskis-Garrett, who is Director of the East Lansing Public Library.
