Born in Maryville, Missouri, to Greek immigrant parents from Arcadia, Greece, Michael S. Johnson has made fourteen oil field discoveries, contributing to the discovery of Parshall Field in North Dakota. America’s largest oil field by size, Parshall extends over nine million acres with producible reserves of over ten billion barrels. In 2009, Michael Johnson received the Explorer of the Year awards from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists.

A perfect one-of-a kind Mother’s Day gift

CHICAGO, IL — The National Hellenic Museum introduces Polina Sapouna-Ellis convertible jewelry to Chicago. The National Hellenic Museum’s Store is the exclusive distributor of her jewelry in the U.S. Her dynamic one-of-a kind pieces are wearable works of art influenced by ancient Greek shapes and motifs that will make the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Polina Sapouna-Ellis convertible jewelry is designed to wear in multiple ways. Polina explains the designs of her jewelry, “I consider my creations as a fusion of Greek archaeology, art, science and philosophy.  The ancient Greek concept of SYMMETRIA – counterbalance – plays an important role in my work.”

The National Hellenic Museum Store now carries the Polina Sapouna-Ellis collection featuring rings, bracelets, and necklaces from the Charm XII Collection, Antithesis Collection, Eros Collection and Dorian Collection. Her convertible jewelry is made from materials such as rose gold plated, platinum plated, gold plated and black rhodium plated materials. Prices for her collection range from $40 to $600.

The National Hellenic Museum is located at 333 South Halsted Street in Chicago, walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC-Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8 Halsted and parking is available at privately managed parking lots. Museum hours are Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 10 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 10 am to 8 pm, Saturdays/Sundays 11 am to 5 pm. The Museum is closed Tuesdays. For more information, please visit www.nationalhellenicmuseum.orgor call 312-655-1234.

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The National Hellenic Museum is America’s only national institution to document and present the legacy of Greek Americans and their contributions to the American mosaic, while celebrating their rich Greek history and culture and the profound impact of their Hellenic heritage upon the world.

The Museum is located in a 40,000-square-foot, three-story, eco-friendly building which is home to interactive exhibits, children’s education center, research library, oral history center, museum store, special events hall, and rooftop terrace.

For more information, visit http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

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The National Hellenic Museum and the Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society are proud to host a presentation and open workshop by world renowned scholar and dance instructor Dr. Christos Papakostas. Join us for this exciting afternoon!

Renowned scholar and Greek dance instructor, Dr. Christos Papakostas, will conduct both the presentation and the open workshop.  This is a great opportunity to learn first-hand about the traditional dance of Greece from an esteemed scholar and instructor who will teach you the steps of some of the most iconic Greek dances.

About Dr. Christos Papakostas:

Dr. Christos Papakostas is a scholar, musician, and master dance teacher.  For the last twenty years he has served as a folklorist, choreographer, percussion instructor, and dance instructor for a variety of preforming groups. A published author, he wrote his dissertation on the dances of the Roma communities in northern Greece for the University of Thessaly.  He has also published works on a variety of Greece dances, including serving as an author and as the editing supervisor for the ‘Traditional Greek Dance’ section of the current textbook used in Greek public schools.

Dr. Papakostas is well known in Europe and Canada, having taught dance seminars in Belgium, France, the U.K., and Canada. He is returning to the United States later this year to serve as a judge for “Faith-Dance-Fellowship,” a festival sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church/Metropolis of San Francisco for the second consecutive year.  Dr. Papakostas currently resides in Ioannina where he is a faculty of the Department of Traditional Music at the Epirus Technological Institute.

CHICAGO, IL – The National Hellenic Museum announces The Trials of Socrates, a new five-week class in partnership with the University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies. In January, almost a thousand people participated in the National Hellenic Museum’s re-trial of Socrates, and the Chicago audience found Socrates guilty of his crimes. The Trials of Socrates five-week class will give students the opportunity to study Socrates’ trial and life to decide for themselves.

The class will explore the various faces of the enigmatic Socrates, and will be taught by Cynthia Rutz, Instructor at the University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, and Visiting Assistant Professor at Valparaiso University. Classes will meet Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, May 2 through June 6, 2013 at the National Hellenic Museum located at 333 South Halsted Street, Chicago. The cost is $175 per person. The required course texts are available at the Museum Store and are not included in the registration fee.

The Trials of Socrates class syllabus will focus on Socrates’ trial, teaching method, and challenge the class to decide if Socrates was a great teacher, as Plato describes or just a great con artist, as Aristophanes depicts. The class will also read a variety of dialogues written by Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes.

The Museum is located walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC-Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8 Halsted and parking is available at privately managed parking lots. Museum hours are Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 10 am to 5 pm, Thursdays 10 am to 8 pm, Saturdays/Sundays 11 am to 5 pm, and closed Tuesdays. For more information, please visit www.nationalhellenicmuseum.orgor call 312-655-1234.

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The National Hellenic Museum is America’s only national institution to document and present the legacy of Greek Americans and their contributions to the American mosaic, while celebrating their rich Greek history and culture and the profound impact of their Hellenic heritage upon the world.

The Museum is located in a 40,000-square-foot, three-story, eco-friendly building which is home to interactive exhibits, children’s education center, research library, oral history center, museum store, special events hall, and rooftop terrace.

For more information, visit http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

Follow NHM on Facebook and Twitter!

CHICAGO, IL — The National Hellenic Museum will host a special evening with Nia Vardalos, writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, presenting her new book, Instant Mom, releasing April 2013. A cocktail reception will follow the presentation, held on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 6:30 pm at the National Hellenic Museum located at 333 South Halsted Street, Chicago. The program is free with museum admission.

The evening will include a meet and greet with Nia Vardalos, a presentation of readings from her book, Instant Mom, and a time for Q&A to get the inside story on Nia’s life. Nia’s presentation will highlight the obstacles she embarked during her adventure to parenthood and having a family of her own. Her story has been said to bring tears and belly laughs for guests of all backgrounds because of her wit and genuine personality.

The Museum is located walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC-Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8 Halsted and parking is available at privately managed parking lots. For more information, please visit www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

Join us for a special evening with Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, organizer of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games! Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki will talk about her experience organizing the 2004 Athens Olympics and present her new book, My Greek Drama: Life, Love, and One Woman’s Olympic Effort to Bring Glory to Her Country.

This event is co-sponsored with the Hellenic Bar Association.

Please note: There are no refunds. All sales are final.

Behind the Scenes and in Front of the World

A New Book from the President of the Organizing Committee for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens – Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos

Against the background of a European financial crisis that has strongly affected her country, the woman who was responsible for the country’s last great showing on the international stage speaks out.  In her new book, MY GREEK DRAMA: LIFE, LOVE AND ONE WOMAN’S OLYMPIC EFFORT TO BRING GLORY TO HER COUNTRY (Greenleaf Book Group Press, hardcover, May 2013), Gianna Angelopoulos brings to the reader a revealing in-depth account of her remarkable life growing up on the historic island of Crete and rising to become an international thought leader.

The book also explores the paths Greece might follow in its efforts to solve the nation’s pressing economic and social upheavals. Mrs. Angelopoulos has traveled widely and established close bonds with her fellow Greeks living and working abroad. Many have become prominent and successful. In 1995, she convened a major symposium at Harvard Kennedy School to dissect what she has called “The Greek Paradox: Promise vs Performance”. The goal was to untangle what is standing in the way of Greek success. “Leadership will allow the Greek people to envision a future for themselves that they may not have envisioned by themselves,” says Mrs. Angelopoulos.

Her book goes beyond memoir. It is a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred exploration of political challenge, success, failure, betrayal and ultimate redemption. She gives an in-depth account of what happened in 2000, when slow progress and gridlocked bureaucracy put Athens in danger of losing the Olympic Games. Under her leadership, Athens made up for lost time and gave the world what IOC President Jacques Rogge called: “an unforgettable dream Games.”

“From Crete to Athens and Zurich to London, Gianna Angelopoulos has made a career of turning ideas into action.  In My Greek Drama, Gianna recounts her successes—as a dedicated public servant, savior of the 2004 Olympic Games, and devoted mother of three—and presents a useful guide for those who seek to transform lives, organizations, and even nations.”  – President Bill Clinton

Gianna Angelopoulos is an Ambassador of the Greek State, an active member of the Clinton Global Initiative and Vice Chairperson of the Dean’s Council of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has also served with distinction as President of the Greek Bidding and Organizing Committees for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Ambassador Angelopoulos was also elected a Member of Parliament from Athens in 1989 and won re-election the following year. It gave her enormous insight into the political structure of Greece. A mother of three grown children, she lives with her husband, Theodore, in Athens.

Proceeds from this book will go to support youth and education initiatives in Greece and abroad.

Here’s what people are saying about the book:

“From Crete to Athens and Zurich to London, Gianna Angelopoulos has made a career of turning ideas into action.  In My Greek Drama, Gianna recounts her successes—as a dedicated public servant, savior of the 2004 Olympic Games, and devoted mother of three—and presents a useful guide for those who seek to transform lives, organizations, and even nations.”

President Bill Clinton

“Gianna Angelopolous has lived a remarkable life of achievement.  Again and again she has demonstrated what one determined person can do to move the world.  Her story should be an inspiration to many.  For those who care about Greece, the Olympics, or the power of a determined woman her story is important reading.  I have learned much from Gianna and you can too.”

Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University

“The amazing and riveting triumphant insider story of the Olympic Movement’s first ever one woman show. Learn the truths and the struggles of the larger than life Greek woman who twice rescued the Athens Olympics from ruin to make them Greece’s only international triumph in recent memory.”

Dick Ebersol, Former Chairman and Executive Producer, NBC Sports and Olympics (1989-2011)

“Gianna Angelopoulos is a force of nature, both in life and in this book. It is a joy to see her capture her leadership, vivacity and wit in these pages.  My Greek Drama is more than her personal journey in turning around the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens—it is a clarion call for Greeks and others to reach higher, faster, farther.”

David Gergen, Professor of Public Service and Director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, CNN senior analyst, and former adviser to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton.

“From her girlhood in Crete to her career in the Greek Parliament and then the management of the 2004 Athens Olympics, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki tells a wonderfully human tale of struggle and success. It is an engaging read!”

Joseph S. Nye, Distinguished Service Professor, Harvard University and former Dean of Harvard Kennedy School

“With skill, charm, will and drive — Gianna Angelopoulos led the effort to bring the Olympics back to Greece. She broke barriers. Cut through barriers. And modernized a broken system. That success encapsulates the story of her life — a remarkable rise packed with lessons on leadership”

George Stephanopoulos, ABC News Anchor, “Good Morning America” and “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”

Chicago, IL – The National Hellenic Museum presents a new exhibition, The Holocaust In Greece, in commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes play on April 7. The exhibition, based on materials from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, will open April 3 and run through June 2, 2013 at the National Hellenic Museum located at 333 S. Halsted Street, in Chicago.

The National Hellenic Museum will also host an event to commemorate the Holocaust on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 6 pm. Dr. Mimis Cohen, original founding member of the American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece will present on the Holocaust in Greece, followed by a special introduction to the new exhibition The Holocaust in Greece.

The Holocaust In Greece explores the history of the occupation of Greece by Nazi Germany during World War II, examining the persecution of Greek Jews throughout the country. The exhibition features the courageous acts of the many Greeks that risked their lives and families to protect many of the between 8,000 and 10,000 Greek Jews who survived the German occupation. World War II left Greece in ruins, as more than 350,000 Greeks, five percent of the population, perished from starvation, as the result of military operations, and in mass murder operations, including around 60,000 Greek Jews, most of whom were killed in the gas chambers of Treblinka and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Holocaust In Greece exhibition also coincides with Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. According to Director of Museum Experience/Curator, Bethany Fleming, “We chose April not only in commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, but also because we wanted to raise awareness for genocide prevention by exploring the history of the Holocaust and the role Greece played as we explore the individuals and the acts that stood against the genocidal tide.” This exhibition also honors the individuals that protected those threatened under the German occupation.

Museum admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, $7 for children under 12, and free for children under 3. Museum hours are Mondays 10 am – 5 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 am -5 pm, Thursdays 10 am – 8 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11 am – 5 pm, and closed Tuesdays. The Museum is located walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC-Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8 Halsted and parking is available at privately managed parking lots. For more information, please visit www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

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The National Hellenic Museum is America’s only national institution to document and present the legacy of Greek Americans and their contributions to the American mosaic, while celebrating their rich Greek history and culture and the profound impact of their Hellenic heritage upon the world.

The Museum is located in a 40,000-square-foot, three-story, eco-friendly building which is home to interactive exhibits, children’s education center, research library, oral history center, museum store, special events hall, and rooftop terrace.

For more information, visit http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

Follow NHM on Facebook and Twitter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p8W895qzac&feature=youtu.be

Nia Vardalos was at the National Hellenic Museum on April 13, 2013 for a meet & greet to discuss her book Instant Mom. In this video, she talks about her father and his experience  as a Greek immigrant and the role the Musuem plays in presenting and perserving the legacy of Greek Americans.

The evening will include a meet and greet with Nia Vardalos, a presentation of readings from her book, Instant Mom, followed by a Q&A session to get the inside Nia’s life story. Nia will highlight the obstacles she faced during her adventure to parenthood and having a family of her own. It’s been said that her story brings tears and belly laughs for guests of all backgrounds, because of her wit and genuine personality.

There will be a cocktail reception following the presentation.

About Instant Mom

“Having now been an Instant Mom for over twenty-six years, I can relate to the celebrations, complexities, conundrums and cherished moments that this lovely book explores. A truthful resource book as well as a really funny and warm story of love Nia style.” — Jamie Lee Curtis

“An instant classic. Refreshingly candid for all parents—plus anyone considering adoption. (I was adopted!) We know Nia is many things: writer, actress, director, musical theater lover! Here, though, you learn she is a mom first. Pure, beautiful honesty.” — Kristin Chenoweth

“I expected to laugh. I didn’t expect to cry. And I certainly didn’t expect to laugh and cry on the very same page. Instant Mom is not just for anyone considering adoption, and not just for anyone who ever thought of becoming a parent. It’s for anyone whose Big Life Plan doesn’t follow the path they thought it would, and shows us that unexpected obstacles can lead to beautiful rewards.” — Rachel Dratch

“Funny, smart, full of heart and grounded wisdom that shines much-needed light on adoption—yet is relatable for all parents, male and female, even those of us who had children the old-fashioned biological way! I couldn’t stop reading this hilarious and
gripping rollercoaster of a story.”  — Jewel

In Instant Mom, Nia Vardalos, writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, tells her hilarious and poignant road-to-parenting story that eventually leads to her daughter and prompts her to become a major advocate for adoption.

Moments after Nia Vardalos finds out she has been nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, she is alone and en route to a fertility clinic, trying yet again for a chance at motherhood.

Vardalos chronicles her attempts to have a baby, and how she tries everything—from drinking jugs of green mud tea, to acupuncture, to working with two surrogates. Finally, she and her husband, actor Ian Gomez, decide to try adoption and discover a free service: Foster Family Agencies. Then one day, the social workers “match” her with an almost-three-year-old girl, who she knows, instantly, is her daughter.

With her signature wit and candor, Nia Vardalos reveals what really came next—the truth of how she and her husband transitioned a preschooler into their home. Vardalos opens up about the bawling-tears and belly-laughter that all make up what it means to be…a parent.

RSVP priority seating. Standing room only.

More than 300 guests celebrated Apokries (Greek Mardi Gras) during the annual Ambrosia Ball at the Palmer House Hotel on March 2, 2013. The event, organized by the National Hellenic Museum, was hosted by Fox News Chicago’s Anna Davlantes and raised $350,000.

CHICAGO, IL —Dr. Anthony S. Papadimitriou, the President of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, received an Award of Excellence from the National Hellenic Museum at its annual Ambrosia Ball on Saturday, March 2, 20213 in Chicago. The award was presented by National Hellenic Museum Board of Trustees Chairman John P. Calamos, Sr., who explained, “The Museum is honoring Papadimitriou and the Onassis Foundation, for excellence in the promotion of the world’s shared Hellenic heritage.”

Photo caption from left to right: Dr. Anthony S. Papadimitriou the President of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation was presented with an Award of Excellence for the promotion of the world’s shared Hellenic heritage by the National Hellenic Museum the Board of Trustees Chairman John P. Calamos, Sr.

Photo credit:  Photos by Dimitri Eliopoulos for Elios Photography © 2013

In his acceptance speech Papadimitriou stated, “The mission of the National Hellenic Museum is very important.  I am very impressed by the great work being done in documenting, preserving and showcasing the Greek American experience, history and culture.  As a Diaspora Greek myself, I understand the importance of documenting and preserving the history and accomplishments of Diaspora Greeks.”

“The Museum’s mission is of great importance to me and should be to all Americans of Greek origin. I urge you to take your children and grandchildren to the Museum to see our mission in action in our new exhibition Moments: The Greek American Legacy. It is a very moving, yet realistic, presentation of the history and legacy of Greek Americans, as well as their contributions to this great country of the United States of America,” stated Dr. George J. Korkos Ambrosia Ball Chairman and National Hellenic Museum Board Member.

According to Papadimitriou, The Onassis Foundation will work towards future partnerships with the Museum to promote their shared mission of promoting Hellenism, “I also would like to state that the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation is very much interested and looks forward to collaborating with the National Hellenic Museum on projects of mutual interest and to help share our Hellenic heritage.”

At Ambrosia Ball, over 300 guests enjoyed an evening of dinner, dancing, and disguise as they experienced an Apokries celebration featuring: Koudounati, the Bell Bearers of Skyros, who kicked off the evening by dancing in and around the tables, followed by the Gaitanaki (Maypole Dance) performed by the Orpheus Dance Troupe. Mr. George Stephanopoulos, Chief Political Correspondent for ABC News & Co-Anchor of “Good Morning America, served as the honorary Ambrosia Ball chair for the black tie event, and Dr. & Mrs. George J. Korkos served as the Ambrosia Ball chairs. The event raised 350,000 for exhibitions and community educational outreach programs.

CHICAGO, IL — The National Hellenic Museum offers a new program, Little Homer Story Hour, where children will discover Greek culture through interactive story-telling and craft-making. This program will be held Saturdays from 2 pm to 3 pm, starting March 23, 2013 at the National Hellenic Museum located at 333 S. Halsted Street, Chicago. For families only attending the program, the cost is $5 per adult and free for children. For families interested in visiting the Museum’s exhibitions after the program, regular admission prices will be added to the cost of the program. Children can only participate if full accompanied by an adult.

Families will listen to Greek stories told in English, English stories told in Greek, and all combinations in between. Experienced docents will tell stories and lead crafts in exciting ways to engage kids. The Museum Educator, Chelsea Trembly, is looking forward to this new program because, “It will give families an opportunity to experience Greek culture in a fun, and interactive way.”

Little Homer Story Hour will gather in the Children’s Library and Discovery Center on the Second Floor of the Museum. After the program, kids are welcome to stay in the Children’s Library to browse the shelves or to color their own stained glass window.

The Museum is located walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC-Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8 Halsted and parking is available at privately managed parking lots. For more information, please visit www.nationalhellenicmuseum.orgor call 312-655-1234.

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CHICAGO, IL  — “The Marathon Race: Myths & Realities” a lecture by Dr. Zinon Papakonstantinou will be held at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at the National Hellenic Museum located 333 S. Halsted Street in Chicago.  This lecture will expound on the legendary and historical background of the marathon as well as its development into a modern athletic event.  Dr. Papakonstantinou is a professor of Classics and Ancient Greece at UIC, with a focus of ancient Greek athletic competitions.  $10 includes lecture and Museum admission. The Museum is walking distance from the CTA Blue Line at UIC -Halsted and CTA Bus Route 8- Halsted. There are privately managed parking lots within walking distance of the Museum.

This lecture coincides with the Museum’s current exhibition – The Spirit of the Marathon: From Pheidippides to Today that runs now through spring 2013.  The exhibition explores the history, culture and impact of the Marathon race. Pheidippides’ heroic run is mostly legend. Yet, it has inspired a race run by hundreds of thousands of people each year. Introduced in Athens in 1896 as a final event of the first modern Olympics, the Marathon race is now a global fixture: the embodiment of inspiration, determination, and accomplishment. The Spirit of the Marathon is sponsored by The National Hellenic Society.

For more information please visit  http://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/events/calendar/.

A Greek Journey in the Windy City is part of the “Neighborhoods of the World” series.