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Tag: Legacy Project

My most unforgettable person, Lillian Walker

My most unforgettable person, Lillian Walker

We begin our celebration of Black History month with this reminiscence of an unforgettable person. John Hughes is the Chief Oral Historian for the Legacy Project, Office of the Secretary of State.  From the desk of John Hughes, Historian. In my half century as a journalist and historian, I’ve interviewed three U.S. presidents, governors and senators galore, movie stars and members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the most unforgettable person I’ve ever met was a tiny,…

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Need a holiday gift? Buy a book from the Legacy Project!

Need a holiday gift? Buy a book from the Legacy Project!

Looking for holiday gift ideas? Give the gift of a well-written book! Thanks to the Washington State Legacy Project, we can all learn about some very influential Washingtonians. The subjects of these biographies and oral histories include statewide officeholders, congressional leaders, judges and other remarkable citizens. Many of these subjects, in the face of controversy and the most challenging circumstances, refused to give up and inspired change. There are plenty of biographies to choose from, no matter what your interest…

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Capitol event accentuates the positive

Capitol event accentuates the positive

The past several months have seen a deluge of negative campaigns as the 2012 General Election reaches its end next week. Secretary of State Reed is moderating a panel discussion this Thursday that focuses on positive politics and how it could influence leaders in local, state and national government. The panel will explore how positive politics can change and lead to better decision-making at all levels of government. The free event, which is the latest in the series of Brown…

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Launching Saturday: new book about tribal icon Billy Frank Jr.

Launching Saturday: new book about tribal icon Billy Frank Jr.

He’s one of the most famous Native Americans in Washington history, and an instrumental figure in the long and sometimes bitter battle over Indian fishing rights. A new and privately funded book about the life of Nisqually tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. is officially being launched Saturday afternoon in Olympia. The book is entitled “Where the Salmon Runs: The Life and Legacy of Billy Frank Jr.” The book launch is from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at The Evergreen State College…

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Slade talks redistricting, 9/11, Senate and more

Slade talks redistricting, 9/11, Senate and more

John C. Hughes and former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton sign copies of the book that Hughes recently wrote about the longtime statesman. Former state Attorney General and U.S. Senator Slade Gorton was the featured guest at a forum and book signing Thursday in the Legislative Building’s State Reception Room. More than 50 attendees heard Gorton speak about his enduring and prominent career in state and national politics.  Gorton is the subject of a recent biography entitled “Slade Gorton A Half-Century…

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WSL Updates for August 4, 2011

WSL Updates for August 4, 2011

Volume 7, August 4, 2011 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) NEW LEGACY PROJECT FEATURE “MAKES HISTORY” 2) LAST CHANCE TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE 3) CONNECT THE DOTS PRESENTATIONS ONLINE 4) DIGITAL PRESERVATION – WHAT’S NOW, WHAT’S NEXT? 5) DOES YOUR LIBRARY USE TWITTER OR FACEBOOK? 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Red ink: House offers $32 billion cut-laden budget

Red ink: House offers $32 billion cut-laden budget

Majority House Democrats have unveiled a $32.4 billion state budget that incorporates $3.2 billion in assorted cuts, a 3 percent salary reduction and higher medical contributions for public employees, pension reforms, and more. The no-new-taxes budget for the next two years was the first draft to surface in the Legislature since a new revenue forecast knocked another $800 million hole in the budget last month, bringing the total gap to over $5 billion.  Tax collections have lagged as the state and…

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Lillian Walker, civil rights pioneer, honored

Lillian Walker, civil rights pioneer, honored

It was like a combination of birthday party, book-launch, political rally and roast for a revered old friend. Lillian Walker, who has just turned a feisty 97, was the honoree at a civic event sponsored by Secretary of State Sam Reed, the YWCA and Mrs. Walkers’ numerous friends, family and colleagues in the long struggle for equality for all. Well before Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks were gaining fame, Mrs. Walker and her late husband James were organizing…

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`Booth Who?’ book rollout honors Governor Gardner

`Booth Who?’ book rollout honors Governor Gardner

“Booth Who?” was the slogan that puckish campaign aides famously used for Booth Gardner’s early campaign buttons and yardsigns back when he wasn’t exactly a household name yet.  He eventually hit the political version of a Grand Slam, serving in the state Senate, Pierce County Executive and as the two-term governor. His story is now told in a new Legacy Project book called, naturally enough,  “Booth Who?”  It’s available free online and in print form ($25 softcover, $35 for limited…

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A book? A paper-type book?

A book? A paper-type book?

Yes, it’s true. We’re all bloggy, electronic-book-reading, texters these days, but some of us still dig books.   Real dead-tree paper books with purty pictures. For months now, our re-booted oral history program, called the Legacy Project, has exclusively published oral history-biographies electronically – as in posted free  on our website.  Tons of people have clicked on and some, like the one that got written up in Rolling Stone (the material on rocker-civic activist Krist Novoselic), were very popular indeed….

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