David Bowers, National President of The Society of American Magicians, proclaimed the week of October 25 to October 31, 2015 as National Magic Week throughout the United States and Canada.
For more than forty years the Society has recognized the anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini with a special “week” of events to highlight the charitable work of the Society throughout the year. During the year the members of the Society donate performances for senior citizens in nursing homes, in VA hospitals, for schools and libraries, and for children who cannot afford the luxury of live entertainment. The free shows are part of service programs sponsored by The S.A.M. and follow the example set by Harry Houdini, a past National President of the Society.
“Magic Week” is when the magicians celebrate this service. Public magic events and exhibits will be taking place all over the country.
Each year governors, mayors, and other governing bodies throughout North America are requested to issue proclamations declaring the last week in October as National Magic Week, encouraging magicians to participate in the activities.
For more that 50 years the S.A.M. has recognized the anniversary of the death of Houdini with this special week of charitable performances. Houdini served as the National President of the S.A.M. from 1917 until his death in 1926. Below is a membership card from Houdini's reign.
More more information visit the official Society of American Magicians website.
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When I visited Houdinis grave this past summer I saw no signs that the SAM had done any restoration work. The Exedra had not been power washed nor the ceramic symbol been restored. Was the promise made by the new SAM president a mere publicity stunt? When will they begin the work? It's been well over a year and so far nothing aside from the grass being cut but the entire area surrounding the Houdini plot the grass was cut also.
ReplyDeleteIt was not a publicity stunt. It's for real. But I'm not sure when it's supposed to begin. I know Dorothy & Dick at the Houdini Museum have been working with the SAM on this.
DeleteWhy the huge delay?
ReplyDeleteSorry we did not answer this right away. This year is a busy year for us for various reasons. Mostly due to an extra amount of shows which is our first love. We are usually quite busy this time of year, but this year, for whatever reason, it has hit an unusual peak. Including Dorothy's and Dick's outside shows and packed houses for our year round Psychic Theater Haunted Seance presentation, a non Houdini event.
ReplyDeleteIt was in NO way a publicity stunt by the current president of the national. They have set up a cemetery committee. For the first time in decades, aside from our own relations with the administration of the cemetery, relations with magicians are improving. For decades the Parent Assembly of the SAM we at severe odds with cemetery administration. This was due to magicians bringing great damage to the cemetery because of its members looking to get publicity for themselves, that caused damage to the cemetery that ranged in tens of thousands of dollars. Several other monuments surrounding the Houdini grave were broken or overturned during publicity stunts by the Parent Assembly, and there was even a story in the New York Times where someone from the Assembly implied the administrator, by name, was a grave robber or something to that effect. Because of the tireless work of the new national SAM President and many others at the National those relations are being patched up. There have been problems finding the right person to do the mosaic as it is a very particular skill. Besides the grass being cut, the entrance to the Houdini grave and the surrounding area itself has been cleaned up. A new gate as you enter the cemetery to see Houdini has been put up and the various pathways surrounding the Houdini grave have been resurfaced. The huge eyesore, that one must pass in front of the Houdini grave, was the old abandoned office building that has since been torn down. The cemetery is now at odds with the city, as by accident, the city cut off water supply to that part of the cemetery, and this may now even be in litigation. Therefore planned other planned improvements in that area have been postponed. These things cannot be done overnight but are being worked on and addressed.
The Houdini Museum.
The Only Building in the World Dedicated to Houdini.