DEAI Statement
Menu
Menu
DEAI Statement
Our newest exhibition is now open! "Die Hoffnung Der Pflanzen / The Hope of Plants" explores herbs, flowers, vegetables, roots, and the occasional creature. This series couples the intentional carved marks of 15th century wood engravings with the bold shapes and composition of early 20th century expressionist woodcuts. The result is a hand-colored contemporary portrayal of personal herbology, or the assumed language of a plant and its individual meaning to a person.
Joseph Lappie is a professor and the chair of Art + Design at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. He teaches book arts, drawing, papermaking, & printmaking and serves the regional community in arts-based demonstrations. His work has been shown nationally and international including the Des Moines Art Center, Figge Art Museum, & Katzen Arts Center, with artist’s books placed in special collections across the country including Yale, The Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin. He received a BFA in Painting and a BFA in Graphic Design at Ball State University and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book & Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago.
Join us Sunday November 10th at 2:00 pm for a presentation with the artist. He will talk about the selection of works, the printing process, and his sabbatical in Germany earlier in 2024.
Join us for our next book discussion coming up on Saturday November 16th at 10:30 am. The group is reading "The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel" by Kati Marton.
The group will discuss what they think of the book, the author`s perspective, and the impact Merkel has had in this early 21st century. New members are always welcome.
"I have a relatively sunny spirit, and I always had the expectation that my path through life would be relatively sunny, no matter what happened. I have never allowed myself to be bitter." -Angela Merkel
This poll tax receipt shows that Herman Rohde paid his poll tax in full in 1868. The fee was $2.50, which is equal to about $55 in 2024.
Herman was born in 1842 in Germany, immigrated to the United States and worked as a cigar maker in Scott County. This receipt is part of our Rohde/Meinert collection.
In the 1860s, poll taxes in the United States changed from a way to fund governments to a method of restricting voting rights. Originally, these taxes were important for colonial revenue, making up a large portion of tax income. However, as the country grew and property values rose, property taxes became more significant.
After the Civil War and the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted Black men the right to vote, many Southern states introduced poll taxes as a requirement for voter registration. They often included "grandfather clauses" that allowed some people (usually white men) to vote without paying the tax if their ancestors had voted before slavery ended. This effectively disenfranchised many Black, Native American, and poor white voters.
Although mainly associated with the South, poll taxes were also used in northern and western states until they were abolished by the 24th Amendment in 1964.
We are lucky to live in a country where voting is a democratic right without many of the restrictions that were in place in the past. Have you voted yet? 🗳️
The holidays are approaching fast and we have many items that would be great to add to your shopping list.
Visit our gift shop for authentic German items, local history books, unique household items, or something fun for that office gift exchange! We have a selection of Paulaner beers to create your own 4-pack! Mix and match different styles and personalize your selection for your beer lover in your life.
🗓️ Our members` sale weekend is November 22nd – 24th. Enjoy 20% off on all purchases and we are always tax-free!
If you`re not already, memberships can be purchased online, over the phone, or in-person and start at $45 for an entire year.
https://gahc.org/become-a-member/
Happy Halloween! What is your favorite part about Halloween?
For those with morbid curiosities or and interest in the macabre, these are some of the interesting items we have in our collection:
1. This is a memorial hair weaving from the Victorian period. Memorial hair art was a trend in the 19th century to memorialize and have a keepsake from loved ones. This one was made in 1868 in Germany and belonged to the Kindig family who immigrated to Iowa from Germany in the 1880s.
2&3. This small hair curl was made from Marie Lueschen`s hair. The following image is a photo of "Grandma Lueschen."
4. This necklace chain was made from human hair and includes a photo pendant. This belonged to the Becker family who lived in Scott County.
5&6. This news clipping refers to Henry Koltzau, a resident of Davenport who built his own casket. Henry was born in Germany in 1859 and immigrated to Iowa and worked as a cabinet maker and woodworker. He died in Davenport in 1936. The next photo is an image of his casket.
Do you have any morbid family heirlooms?? 🎃🐦⬛👹🦇🕸️
As a museum and collection institution, we collect items related to German immigrants` lives in Scott County. If you have any family items or special history about your ancestors, inquire with the museum if you have a possible donation. Most of our collection is built on donations from local families, which helps preserve the early history of Davenport and Scott County. 🏛️
Join us next Saturday November 9th for a paranormal investigation of the museum! Hear about what some guests experienced here, learn about the investigation equipment, and spend time on different floors to see if there is any activity. Whether you`re a skeptic or full believer, this event will be enjoyable for all. 👻
Tickets are $30 per person and includes light refreshments. Cash bar available. Link in bio.
October is Quad Cities Museum Month! The German American Heritage Center and Museum is offering free admission on Saturdays all month. There are always new things to see so whether your a first time visitor or you have been here before there is something to learn.
After your visit, look around our gift shop for special discounts all month. 📚
#qcmuseummonth #qcthatswhere #iowa #illinois #qc #quadcities #museum #german #history
Meet the artists of Das Kabinett Halloween!
Friday October 25th at 5:30-6:30 pm.
Free and open to the public.
Visit Das Kabinett Halloween, a special installation by local artists Bruce Walters and Heidi Hernandez. This exhibition has no overt narrative. It is, instead, an homage to German silent films -especially The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (originally titled Das Kabinett); a walk through a darkened attic of forgotten memories; an exploration of a century old Cabinet of Curiosities, an art gallery of unsettling paintings. It is mystery and magic. Dark magic.
It is fleeting motion in your peripheral vision. A stream of subconscious associations.
Walters and Hernandez are excited to share their work and talk with visitors about their inspiration, process, and more. Join us on Friday!
Subscribe to get all latest news, updates.
