Some organizations these days are having a hard time getting new people involved. Classical music groups have been struggling to appeal to new fans. And plenty of arts and culture groups have a tough time attracting members.
It turns out, historical societies are also having a tough time. And that’s something that Michigan Radio’s Kyle Norris has been looking into.
Norris says the problem is that these societies tend to be older, and getting new blood is not going so well in general.
But that’s not an issue for Amy Elliott Bragg, a co-organizer for the Detroit Drunken Historical Society.
It's a meet-up group that hosts monthly activities at local bars in Detroit for people to come out and learn about history. Bragg says there's no commitment, the gatherings are easy to attend, and all are welcome.
“We have found that there are people who might not be immersed in the library in their historic text all night, but they enjoy history, they are interested in it. They want to weigh in,” says Bragg.
* Listen to the interview with Amy Elliott Bragg above.
