Events Calendar

Event:
Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington

Location:
Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK JR BLVD N
Dover, Delaware

Details:

We often imagine interwar America as a setting straight out of a crime novel—an era of bootleggers, gangsters, organized crime, and the determined lawmen who pursued them. While many of these tales have drifted into myth, primary sources reveal the remarkable true stories of one of the most turbulent periods in American history. The Wilmington…

Event:
Beginning Genealogy 101: Little-known Resources at the Delaware Public Archives

Location:
Georgetown Library
123 W Pine St.
Georgetown, Delaware

Details:

This presentation will cover the most commonly used records in genealogy research while also delving into lesser-known resources that can significantly aid in uncovering your family tree. Among these overlooked tools are Pauper Records, Legislative Petitions, Apprentice Indentures, City Directories, and Enrolled Bills, all of which offer unique insights into the lives of your ancestors.…

Event:
Beginning Genealogy 101: Little-known Resources at the Delaware Public Archives

Location:
Georgetown Library
123 W Pine St.
Georgetown, Delaware

Details:

This presentation will cover the most commonly used records in genealogy research while also delving into lesser-known resources that can significantly aid in uncovering your family tree. Among these overlooked tools are Pauper Records, Legislative Petitions, Apprentice Indentures, City Directories, and Enrolled Bills, all of which offer unique insights into the lives of your ancestors.…

Event:
Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington

Location:
Corbit Calloway Library
115 High St.
Odessa, Delaware

Details:

We often imagine interwar America as a setting straight out of a crime novel—an era of bootleggers, gangsters, organized crime, and the determined lawmen who pursued them. While many of these tales have drifted into myth, primary sources reveal the remarkable true stories of one of the most turbulent periods in American history. The Wilmington…

Event:
African American Family from Middletown

Location:
Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK JR BLVD N
Dover, Delaware

Details:

Cuff Frisby, born around 1770, was enslaved by the Frisby family of Cecil County, Maryland. During his youth, Sarah Frisby, then a widow, granted manumission to Cuff and his mother, Phillis. As a free Black man living in southern New Castle County, Delaware, Cuff faced the significant challenges of earning a living and raising a…

Event:
Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington

Location:
South Coastal Library
43 Kent Ave
Bethany Beach, Delaware

Details:

We often imagine interwar America as a setting straight out of a crime novel—an era of bootleggers, gangsters, organized crime, and the determined lawmen who pursued them. While many of these tales have drifted into myth, primary sources reveal the remarkable true stories of one of the most turbulent periods in American history. The Wilmington…

Event:
In Common Cause: Delaware’s Homefront in the Revolutionary War

Location:
Corbit Calloway Library
115 High St.
Odessa, Delaware

Details:

Despite its small size, Delaware made significant contributions to the cause of American independence—far more than a single battle or a midnight ride. During the Revolutionary War, Delaware evolved from being part of a larger colony into an independent state, a transformation driven by the sacrifices and efforts of its citizens and civic leaders. These…

Event:
Mary Wilson Thompson and the Anti-Suffrage Movement in Delaware

Location:
Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK JR BLVD N
Dover, Delaware

Details:

While many are familiar with the suffrage movement, the history of the anti-suffrage movement—particularly the role Delaware women played in preventing the state from becoming one of the 36 required to ratify the 19th Amendment—is less well-known. In this presentation, attendees will: Learn about the key suffragists and anti-suffragists in Delaware. Discover the arguments and…

Event:
Forgotten Family: Pauper Records and Genealogy at the Delaware Public Archives

Location:
Claymont Library
400 Lenape Way
Claymont, Delaware

Details:

The Delaware Public Archives offers a treasure trove of genealogical resources, including centuries of vital records, wills, deeds, and more. Yet, many researchers inevitably face frustrating dead ends, where a family member seems to vanish without a trace—no birth record, no property records, no will or probate. How can we uncover the stories of these…

Event:
Come Rain or Shine: Weather at the Delaware Public Archives

Location:
Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK JR BLVD N
Dover, Delaware

Details:

Drawing from the records housed in the Delaware Public Archives, this presentation explores the profound relationship between Delaware’s people and its weather—both the blessings and the challenges. Beginning with significant and destructive weather events, such as the Blizzard of 1888 and the Hurricane of 1962, we then turn to how Delaware’s often sunny and inviting…