[NEW CLASS] The Pearl Button Industry started after the Civil War with a migration of many thousands of people into the Mississippi River Basin prospecting for pearls in fresh water clams. This mass movement of hopefuls was called The American Pearl Rush. At the turn of the 20th century, the production of pearl buttons from the shells of clams expanded explosively. The industry extended throughout the Mississippi River drainage basin. It was a pretty big deal. We will explore this unknown chapter in our American heritage as well as the remarkable life of Ora Pearl McGill, an early important labor activist.  Audio/Visual, Discussion, Lecture