The late Ed Grothus and his peace obelisks. Courtesy photo
PLACES & SPACES NEWS RELEASE
Places & Spaces Los Alamos is seeking community participation in the Black Hole Oral History Project. The project aims to collect oral histories capturing stories, anecdotes, memories, and statements about the Black Hole and its owner, Ed Grothus. Conversations, legends, experiences, interesting purchases — all of these are great topics.
“The Black Hole was more than just a surplus store; it was a cultural hub and a source of countless stories,” said Kevin Holsapple of Places & Spaces. “This project is a way to ensure that these memories are not lost and that the voices of those who knew Ed and the Black Hole are preserved for future generations.”
All respectful submissions are welcome, regardless of political viewpoint or your position on Ed’s activism. The collected memories are intended for use in the Places & Spaces Black Hole Museum Initiative, with copies of recordings becoming part of the Los Alamos Historical Museum Archives.
How to Participate:
Recording your memories is a two-step process. First, fill out a brief online form at https://tinyurl.com/blackholememories. Once you submit the form, you will be given a toll-free phone number to call to record your story, anecdote, memory, or statement. You will also be given an invitation number to enter when you call. Keep track of the toll-free number and invitation number, as you can call as many times as you want, whenever you want, and leave as many recordings as you want.
Learn more at the Black Hole Museum Initiative web page, https://blackholemuseum.blogspot.com/.
Places & Spaces is hosting a community forum on Thursday, Sept. 18, beginning at 6 PM at the SALA Event Center as part of SALA’s Parallel Cinema Series. Following a brief video about the Black Hole Museum Initiative, two short documentary films will be screened: “Atomic Ed and the Black Hole” by filmmaker Ellen Spiros and “Atomic Ed” by documentarian Janire Najera. An additional short video about Ed’s activism by family member Philip Grothus will also be screened. Following the films, there will be Q & A and discussion with a panel made up of family members Mike Grothus and Barbara Grothus and Places & Spaces Board member Kevin Holsapple. The event will be accompanied by a “Creative Reuse Art Exhibition” that will be on display in the SALA lobby from September 13-20 during SALA’s normal hours of operation.
About Places & Spaces Los Alamos:
Places & Spaces Los Alamos is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization in Los Alamos, NM. Our mission is to support the creation, improvement, and activation of places and spaces for community life in Los Alamos & White Rock. For more information, please contact Places & Spaces at placesandspacesla@gmail.com.
