If modern civilization as we know it-- internet, mass transit, international commerce, electricity --came to an end, what stories should be held on to, and what remnants of culture should be passed on? In New York Times bestselling novel, Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel depicts a world 20 years after 99% of the human of the population has been wiped out by a superbug. Amid the chaos and struggle for survival, the novel follows a small traveling band of symphony players and actors performing Shakespeare, and a young woman's search for the origin of a mysterious comic book. Stories have played a central role in all societies throughout history. To learn about people who lived in the past, we examine their art and read their poetry. Even as technology has changed the world in almost every other way... perhaps the humanities are still what make us human after all!

Joel Stone, Senior Curator at the Detroit Historical Society, will use everyday street signs to explore the 300 years of Detroit’s history, and the story of the people whose legacy is traversed by citizens every day. Setting Detroit apart are the recognizable names of streets like Woodward, Beaubien, Mount Elliot, and Selden. Behind each of these monikers is a man or woman who played a part in Detroit’s past.

The Model T is considered Michigan’s most significant contribution bringing change to the world.