A Contested Past, a Therapeutic Present : The Italian Hall Memorial and Keweenaw National Historical Park, Calumet, Michigan

Abstract

This thesis examines the Italian Hall Memorial and Keweenaw National Historical Park as a local commemorative space in Calumet, Michigan, and as a national component to memory studies and twentieth-century labor within the United States. I argue that the Italian Hall Memorial is a valuable therapeutic memorial, a term coined by art historian Kirk Savage. This memorial, constructed from the archway that stood above the Italian Hall doorway, is ominous, simplistic, and powerful, as it reconstructed a traumatic event into a space that promoted reconciliation and memorialization efforts within the community of Calumet. The creation of the Keweenaw National Historical Park contributes to this argument because the park holds a partnership with the Village of Calumet in preserving and presenting this history for generations to come. The establishment of a National Park Service branch solidifies Calumet's national significance. This thesis is presented in an introduction, four main chapters, a conclusion, bibliography, and a timeline of events.