Center for Dubuque HistoryOne hundred years ago this month, the entire City of Dubuque was closed down due to an influenza epidemic, the closures occurring to ensure that individuals would not spread the disease further.  This influenza epidemic has been studied by Dr. Kristin Anderson-Bricker, a history professor here at Loras, and a group of students since 2016. In order to study the influenza, not only as a global killer but specifically as an impactful part of Dubuque history, the group used resources from the Center for Dubuque History, namely the City of Dubuque: Communicable Diseases original books (1890-1943).  Their research led to many findings, such as the number of people quarantined during the epidemic, that will be presented to the public this week.

The presentation, entitled “The ‘Dread Malady’ and La Grippe: Surviving the 1918 Epidemics of Polio and Influenza in the City of Dubuque,” is meant to educate those who attend on this history of Dubuque.  This presentation will be held twice in the Center for Dubuque History on the first floor of the library, once on Thursday, November 15th from 6:30-7:30 pm and again on Friday, November 16th from 12-1 pm.