History From Home is a quarterly Zoom series that brings the story of the Eastland Disaster directly into your home. These programs go beyond our standard library presentations, offering custom, in-depth conversations shaped by more than 27 years of dedicated research.
Each program explores a specific aspect of the tragedy through people, documents, and moments that reveal how deeply the disaster shaped families, the city of Chicago, communities across the United States, and even lives in Europe. Drawing from archival photographs, original documents, and firsthand accounts, History From Home offers topical, well-researched programs designed for a general audience.
All programs are recorded. Annual dues-paying members of EDHS receive immediate access to each recording, with programs released to the general public after 12 months. Through lesser-known stories, fresh perspectives, and newly surfaced materials, History From Home invites you to engage with this history in a way that is personal, meaningful, and relevant today.
As part of our History From Home series, this special May program will explore the vital role nurses played in the aftermath of the Eastland Disaster, with a focus on the life and work of Helen Repa. In the immediate wake of the tragedy, nurses became essential first responders, providing urgent care, comfort, and stability during one of Chicago’s most devastating days. Through Repa’s story, we gain a deeper understanding of the skill, resilience, and humanity that defined this response. Featuring guest researcher Tyler Rodriguez, whose work has helped bring renewed attention to Repa’s life and contributions, this program draws on original research and archival materials to highlight the individuals who stepped forward in a moment of crisis and why their stories still matter today.
The 111th anniversary of the Eastland Disaster: A deeper examination of Chicago's deadliest - and most misunderstood - day filled with historical insights and uncomfortable truths. We explore the Eastland Disaster through a set of focused questions that have endured for more than a century. How did it happen? Who was responsible? Who was held accountable? Who paid, and at what cost? The program weaves together legal records, investigative findings, and personal stories to better understand the long aftermath of the disaster. The program allows time for reflection, discussion, and a fuller understanding of how July 1915 continues to echo today.
Books have played a vital role in preserving and interpreting the story of the Eastland Disaster. This program explores how historians, journalists, and authors have documented the tragedy across generations, shaping public memory and understanding. Featuring works by notable Eastland authors, the program looks at how research evolves, how new sources come to light, and why the written word remains one of the most powerful tools for remembrance. It is both a celebration of scholarship and an invitation to read the Eastland story more deeply.
In the wake of the Eastland Disaster, 19 families were left without parents, altering the lives of children who would go on to be raised in new homes under heartbreaking circumstances. This program examines three distinct experiences: children who lost both parents, those who lost a single parent, and those who lost a sibling who served as their caregiver. Drawing from Red Cross records, financial summaries, and family histories, we explore how adoption, guardianship, and extended family stepped in during unimaginable loss. These stories reveal resilience, compassion, and the many ways love and responsibility emerged in the aftermath of tragedy.
