Three Upper Peninsula Authors Win Historical Society of Michigan Awards September 16, 2020

The Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) congratulates the three of its member authors – Mikel B. Classen, Ann Dallman, and Jane Kopecky – for winning the 2020 State History Awards presented by the Historical Society of Michigan (HSM).

Presented during its annual Michigan History Conference annually in October, this year’s conference has been made a virtual event due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Of the 6 winners announced by the HSM in book categories, three are members of the UPPAA and their books were published between 2019 and 2020: this is an unprecedented success for UPPAA authors.

Mikel B. Classen’s book Points North: Discover Hidden Campgrounds, Natural Wonders, and Waterways of the Upper Peninsula (Modern History Press) won in the category of University & Commercial Press Books. The HSM describes the work as one that “steers readers off the beaten track to discover some lesser-known—but equally delightful—gems” in the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan.

Ann Dallman won the award for Cady and the Bear Necklace (Three Towers Press/Henschel Haus Books) in the category of Children & Youth Books. Her book tells the story of a 13-year-old Native American girl who finds an antique Indian beaded necklace in her new home in Michigan, leading her to solve a mystery that improves her personal and family life.

In the Private Printing Books category, UPPAA member Jane Kopecky won the HSM award for her self-published book World War II Conscientious Objectors: Germfask, Michigan the Alcatraz Camp in which Kopecky tells the story of a group of non-conformists rounded up at Public Service Camp 135 in Germfask, Michigan for refusing to serve n government/military during the Second World War. These “the conscientious objectors” battle the legal system and government with peaceful protests.

UPPAA President Victor R. Volkman opined, “Regional literature gives people both a sense of place and a connection to their own past.  In this era, where daily national and world events have eclipsed smaller stories, our vital connection to the past with regional literature is more important than ever.”

Volkman appreciates the significance of the awards:

“The HSM awards underscore the importance of the Upper Peninsula in the larger tapestry of Michigan history. The three winners represent the natural resources, native American heritage, and involvement in national events that make the U.P. a key contributor, despite its remoteness and its small town feel.”

Established in 1998 to support authors and publishers who live in or write about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, UPPAA is a Michigan nonprofit association with more than 100 members, many of whose books are featured on the organization’s website at www.uppaa.org. UPPAA welcomes membership and participation from anyone with a UP connection who is interested in writing and publishing books.

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