Kearney Public Library and UNK-History Department welcome you to the History Brown Bag lunch series Wednesday, April 9 from noon-1:00 pm. Dr. Will Stoutamire will present “Harry E. “Two Guns” Miller: A Story of Murder, Fraud and Prophecy.”
For decades, the G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture has told the story of Eliza Galloway, one of Kearney’s first Black residents and a domestic servant for the Frank family. But what if that story wasn’t entirely true? Based on the recent discovery of an oral history conducted with Eliza Galloway in 1928, this presentation will reveal how new research is reshaping our understanding of her life, her relationship with the Kearney community, and Black history in central Nebraska. In turn, it will discuss the challenges of doing Black genealogy, especially in the Civil War and Reconstruction era, and the significant role that the preservation of individual voices can play in ensuring a more faithful interpretation of history.
Dr. William F. Stoutamire is an Associate Professor of History at UNK, where he coordinates the undergraduate Public History minor and online MA in Public History. His research focuses on early museums in the American West, with a particular interest in how museums shape community identity and historical memory. He was formerly the Director of the G.W. Frank Museum of History and Culture, where Eliza Galloway worked as a domestic servant in the late 1800s.
This program is free and open to the public so bring your lunch and learn! This collaborative program is presented by UNK-History Department, and the Kearney Public Library. Mark your calendars for this ongoing series on September 11.