DMFAH Newsletter July 24, 2021. Volume IV

Remembering General George C. Marshall and His Danville Connection!

While VMI contemplates replacing their now-removed Stonewall Jackson statue with a George C.Marshall statue, we remember this WWII general's ties to Danville:

George C. Marshall began his military career as a Commandant in Danville, Virginia:

September 1901 to January 1902: Commandant of Students, Danville Military Academy, Danville, Virginia.

George Marshall went on to greatness after his stint in the River City:

1917-18: distinguished service in World War I.
1919-24: Aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing.
1939: Chief of Staff of the US Army.
1944: Five Star "General of the Army."
1947: Secretary of State.
1953: Nobel Peace Prize for the Marshall Plan, which saved post-war Europe.

The Danville Military Institute went on to experience hard times, and by the time Marshall was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Army, the DMI had closed its doors forever (1939). The Danville Community College now occupies the campus of the Institute; the iconic main building of the DMI yielded to the wrecking ball in 1974.

George C. Marshall in 1901, one year before he became commandant of DMI.

George C. Marshall as the world knew him: Five Star General, Secretary of State, Nobel Peace Prize Winner.

Board President Jeff Gignac welcomes DMFAH members and public to an exceptional performance

An Evening To Remember

Find Out More About Music Maker Foundation Programing HERE

Tim Duffy and Jeffrey Scott Event

Friday July 23, 2021

It’s the stories that keep us interested! And there are many ways to tell a story!

We thank the crowd of almost fifty, who all came out last night to experience a curatorial overview by Tim Duffy, Director of the Music Maker Foundation, and a live performance by renowned guitarist and banjo player Jeffrey Scott.

While our Blue Muse exhibition here in Danville at the 536 Craghead Gallery comes down on August 28, you can continue to follow the wonderful programming of the Music Maker Foundation as they head into their fall Museum Season.

Please see the links to other museums that have sound bites and recordings as well as future programming pertaining to the Music Maker Foundation that you can continue to enjoy.

We thank Tim Duffy, Jeffrey Scott and the Music Maker Team for sharing so generously last night. And we thank Rick Barker Properties for sponsoring this event. We also want to give a shout out to Angela Blankenship for the delicious and abundant catered delicacies.

Goodwill Interns Finish up 8 weeks at the DMFAH

Wishing the Goodwill Interns well during their last summer work week at the DMFAH

Over the last eight weeks the DMFAH hosted five interns from the Citywide program to expose high school students to various professional practices in Danville. The program Administrator’s were Goodwill’s Ernesto Muse (Youth Services Program Manager) and the Museum Executive Director. Thank you to the DMFAH staff, interns and volunteers who showed the ropes to these visitors to our campus, and included them in our day-to-day activities.

We have enjoyed the Goodwill Interns who joined our team these past eight weeks: Makharia Meyers, Timyah, Jameea Crews, Kei’andra Fitzgerald and Ahmari Elliot – they all contributed to educational programing during our camp weeks for the Governors School program with the Pittsylvania Public Schools; they worked in the Perkinson Rose garden with Nan Freed from the Garden Club of Danville; they worked in collections with Daniel Shogan, Aidan Thomas, Mary Kent, and Annie Chappell; they worked in inner-admin offices and tidied up the exhibition room; they manned the front desk; they worked at the 536 Gallery on Craghead Street and they contributed greatly to the WANDERLOVE: A Stitch in Time installation.

We look forward to seeing all of them back at the museum for events and hope they will think of signing up as DMFAH interns, and volunteers. It is wonderful to expand our Museum family, and we very much enjoyed our experience with them.

To Sign Up for Internships Please Visit our Website

We are Dismayed and Saddened, but Undeterred!

Thank You to Captain Pace and the Danville City Police

We want to thank the Danville City Police for coming to our rescue after some targeted vandalism these past two weeks on the River Trail where the Community Project WANDERLOVE: A Stitch in Time is installed for the next two months.

This is an exhibition produced by the community for the community to enjoy, and is accessible to all. The signage boards list all the community groups that produced this exhibition. If you are a pedestrian on the Riverwalk Trail and see the signs tossed on the ground please help us by just setting them straight. We are proud of this work over many, many months, and we value each knitter, each crocheter, sewer, and each community partner. We were dismayed when three trees were blowtorched and large sections of the installation ripped off their installation platforms, and signs listing community partners thrown in the woods.

The police will be putting bike patrols and extra cameras on the Riverwalk Trail.

We also ask all who are enjoying the installation to contact us at 434.793.5648 or the police if you observe malicious behavior directed toward this community art project.

Thank you to our DMFAH repair and maintenance team Felice and Charles McWilliams and Annie, Lily and Laura Chappell for their work around the clock to keep the installation repaired. If anybody wants to help this maintenance team keep up the good work, please contact us at info@danvillemuseum.org. Help us honor the work of many and make the City of Danville look its best this summer!

The Attic Sale will be opening in two weeks... the countdown begins.

Stay on top of the latest info by visiting the Attic Sale webpage on the DMFAH website often.

Please use this link:

https://www.danvillemuseum.org/annual-events

Get Your Tickets for the Smokestack Youth Production! July 29, 30, 31 and August 1

Find out more about the Smokestack Youth Theater Program Here: https://www.facebook.com/events/898453444039265/

Order your tickets Here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-entire-american-revolution-in-40-minutes-or-less-tickets-161017267983

Free Saturday Community Yoga on the DMFAH Lawn

Reserve your spot Here: https://www.fireflydanville.com/schedule/

It's Official: Smart Beginnings has a New Director

The DMFAH Welcomes New Director for Smart Beginnings

Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania has named Angela M. Wells as its new executive director following a nationwide search. Wells’ longstanding history with Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania began in 2011. Most recently, she successfully led the implementation of the organization’s largest publicly-funded opportunity - a Ready Regions grant that provided crucial support for local families and childcare providers coping with challenges of the pandemic. A Danville native and graduate of Tunstall High School, Wells earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Smart Beginnings Danville /Pittsylvania is a regional school readiness coalition, that has worked with the DMFAH in the past, whose mission is to ensure young children are healthy and prepared for school, life and workforce success.

The DMFAH looks forward to a Smithsonian Training Session

On August 24, 2021 the DMFAH will send a coalition of Museum Board Members, Museum Staff and Museum Fellows to attend a Smithsonian Training Session for our upcoming Exhibition Crossroads: Museum On Main.

We are working with other Crossroads Museum Partners and the Virginia Alliance of Museums to attend this training at the Museum of Hanover, Ashland, VA.

Please press HERE for more information about the Hanover Museum of History and the Ashland Museum.

Visit our DMFAH Website for Upcoming Events