Mary McKay Maynard was a child when her family evaded capture by Japanese forces by hiding in the jungles of Mindanao in the Philippines during WWII until they were rescued by submarine. In fall 2023, she donated nine paintings she completed about her experiences. These paintings are on display now in the MacArthur Memorial Visitor Center.
Mary Maynard was a guest speaker at the special exhibit opening for The Price of Unpreparedness: POWs in the Philippines During WWII.
Within five months of its decision to go to war with the Western powers in December 1941, Japan’s empire expanded to embrace 110 million new subjects and its military captured over 132,000 prisoners of war. After a five-month campaign against the Philippines, then an American commonwealth, 20,000 American and 70,000 Filipino personnel were surrendered and taken into captivity by the Japanese in April-May 1942. Thousands of Allied civilians in the Philippines were also incarcerated.
The nightmare of what these POWs were forced to endure for the next three and a half years is the subject of the MacArthur Memorial’s new special exhibit: The Price of Unpreparedness: POWs in the Philippines during World War II.
The Price of Unpreparedness is currently on exhibit.
Your good-vibin’… good-timin’… movin’ and groovin’ international touring band of brothers from Canada! Known for bringing unrivalled stage energy with sing-along anthems, double-brother harmonies, and an inspiring message, Bombargo’s music, live performances and Goodtime GuaranteeTM have captivated audiences from around the world, even catching the attention of pop mega star Taylor Swift, and Virgin Records founder Sir Richard Branson.
In the six years since she signed to John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, Kelsey Waldon has earned wide praise for her “self-penned compositions [with] the patina of authenticity” (Rolling Stone). On her new album, Every Ghost, she confronts addiction, grief, generational trauma, and even herself — and comes through it stronger and at peace.
“There’s a lot of hard-earned healing on this record,” Waldon says of the nine-song project, recorded at Southern Grooves studio in Memphis with her band, The Muleskinners. As she sings in the record’s title track and first song, “Ghost of Myself,” she’s put in the work not only to better herself and leave behind bad habits, but also to learn to love her past selves.
Kendall Street Company performs regularly along the East Coast, maintaining a central presence around the state of Virginia. While the Company’s music is influenced by a variety of musicians and styles, the group has been described as “psychedelic,” “alternative,” “jammy,” “rock,” “indie,” and “ska.” Their recent performance at the 2017 Lockn Music Festival was praised by Relix magazine as having “[raised] the crowd’s energy with frontman Louis Smith and guitarist Ben Laderberg’s acoustic/electric interplay and lively, technical breakdowns”. It is not uncommon for guest performers to join the group on stage for extended jams.
Experimenting with sound and rhythm, Joshua draws from his musical roots in African percussion. Soon after exposure to Djembe and Djun Djun drums they became a part of his playing repertoire which also includes the Didgeridoo. In 1998 Joshua worked as a manager and D.J. with the company 3 Brothers, 1 million Records – steadfastly laying the foundation for what has become the vibrant reggae music scene in Richmond today. By 1999 Joshua joined Jah Revelations and later linked up with Richmond Dub Collective which transformed over time into the reggae band Antero.
Joshua is an integral part of Antero. In 2008 the group won title of “Favorite New Band” at the first Virginia Reggae Awards. As vocalist and percussionist for the group since 2007, he has helped build the following that made the band a staple on the local music scene in his hometown of Richmond, VA. It is in this role that “Mighty Joshua” was born, and in 2012 he was nominated for Virginia Reggae’s “Best New Artist” award. In 2014 Joshua received awards for being Virginia Reggae’s Favorite Artist of the Year, and his debut album was voted Favorite Album of the Year. Joshua has become acquainted with internationally recognized reggae artists through Chris “Peanut” Whitley of Stable Roots Productions who has received many accolades for his role as Music Director/Producer for Corey Harris and touring keyboardist for Corey Harris, Culture, and Eek-A-Mouse. Mighty Joshua played percussion and supplied backing vocals for Corey Harris albums “Father Sun, Mother Earth” and the soon to be released “Fulton Hill Blues.”
Mighty Joshua has had the pleasure of opening for international reggae acts such as Inner Circle, The Itals, Midnite, Tribal Seeds, and The Legendary Culture w/ Kenyatta Hill.
When he’s not living the life of a professional musician, Mighty Joshua dedicates time and energy to working with non-profit organizations like the Makindu Children’s Program in Kenya East Africa. He enjoys integrating music for social awareness and celebrating the impact individual people make.
21+
What’s the 4/11? is an interactive social experience designed to bring people together through music, games, and conversation. This event is centered around high-energy engagement, fostering connections in an organic and entertaining way. With a mix of game night classics, live music, and dynamic discussions, attendees can expect an immersive and memorable evening. Hosted by KELO and Stormy Blue.
On May 8, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe, the MacArthur Memorial, in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Virginia Holocaust Museum, will host Holocaust survivor Dr. Roger Loria.
Dr. Loria was born Antwerp, Belgium in 1940. His family attempted to flee several times after the Nazi invasion of Belgium. His father was captured and perished in Auschwitz. Dr. Loria and his mother managed to reach France but were also caught and sent to Camp de Rivesaltes, an internment camp used for transfers to Drancy and Auschwitz. Escaping Rivesaltes, they spent the rest of the war in a refugee camp in Switzerland.
Join Dr. Loria as he shares his personal story of survival.
Free, but registration is required.
