Join the �鶹��Ʒ on Wednesday, March 20, from 6–8 PM to celebrate this year’s FotoFest Biennial Participating Spaces exhibition Czechs, Collected: Czech and Slovak photographers in Houston’s private collections and at FotoFest since 1990. Meet and mingle with the artists, curator, and team behind the special exhibition, and immerse yourself in the world of Czech photography. 

The Artist Reception will be held at the CCMH, with an introduction by FotoFest co-founder Wendy Watriss and FotoFest executive director Steven Evans. Complimentary valet parking is available to CCMH guests. This event is FREE and open to the public. Enjoy light refreshments and see images that have inspired Houston collectors over the last 30 years.

March 20, 2024

On March 2, 2024, Houston’s annual Czech and Slovak hockey match took place!

Další ročník CZ&SK bruslení a hokejového zápasu Česko-Slovensko All Star Team proti Zbytku Světa je tu!

Začneme hodinou bruslení (2 - 3 pm), bude následovat krátká pauza a po ní to nejdůležitější - hokejový zápas!! Pokud nebruslíte, přijďte aspoň fandit. Budeme mít určitě něco na zahřátí!
Po skončení hokejového zápasu se, stejně jako loni, přesuneme do nějaké občerstvovny na pivo.

First there was a free skating period for those who were interested in participating. This was followed by a short break and then the hockey game! Attendees who did not participate were encouraged to cheer. After the match, like in previous years, attendees then followed up the event with some beer.

On February 7, 2024, the �鶹��Ʒ presented a screening of a documentary film by director Viktor Portel - which was then followed by a discussion with Dr. Lora Wildenthal, the John Anthony Weir Professor of History at Rice University.

The Investigator presents the moving story of Vladimir Dzuro - who was the first Czech investigator for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Throughout the screening, he confronted the haunting legacy of war crimes, witnessed the impact on victims’ families, conflicting nations, and Vladimir Dzuro himself.

Regarding Lora Wildenthal, she is the John Anthony Weir Professor of History at Rice University. She has taught the history of human rights since the late 1990s, and currently she’s the Director of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University. She has authored The Language of Human Rights in West Germany - which was then published with the University of Pennsylvania Press. She has also co-edited the Routledge History of Human Rights along with several other projects and publications.

On February 3, 2024, Houston’s Czech and Slovak communities were invited for a Masopust and Masquerade Ball!

Občerstvení formou potluck. Víno & pivo bude k zakoupení opět přímo na místě, stejně tak jako uzené výrobky. Zábava pro malé i velké - kostýmy, hry pro děti (i dospělé) - skákání v pytlích, běh s vajíčkem na lžíci atd. Crafts, soutěž v jezení koláčů. A samozřejmě české a slovenské písničky, můžeme i tancovat!

Refreshments were in the form of a potluck. There were also plenty of opportunities for people of any age to have fun - such as games for children and adults, a cake eating competition, singing Czech and Slovak songs, and dancing in costume.

On January 17, 2024, Czech-American TV presented its original, high-quality reports and documentaries about Czech culture, traditions, cuisine, etc., at the CCMH! The video presentation was introduced by Czech-American TV founder and producer John Honner, as well as marketing director Joe Mraz.

Czech-American TV, also known as CATVusa, is a non-profit volunteer project created by Czech-American John Honner. He decided 20 years ago to begin promoting the Czech Republic in his new home country of the United States of America. He received much support and many donations from not only in the USA, but from Czech universities and institutions as well.

CATVusa has been promoting the Czech Republic - especially in English-speaking countries through the presentation of half-hour shows. They have been airing weekly shows on cable TV in Illinois for over 20 years, and now broadcast in Florida, Oregon, and Texas - where the shows are watched by almost 6 million people across those states. Along with cable broadcasting (HMS-TV Comcast Channel 17, At&T U-Verse Ch 99, Sudden Link Ch 99, Phonoscope Ch 96, all in the Houston City Limits), the programs can also be accessed via the Internet - which is utilized by over 100,000 viewers across the world - mostly in Canada, Australia, England, and Germany.

The broadcasts that take place inform viewers about stunning and interesting places in the Czech Republic as well as teach them about Czech history, folklore, cuisine, fashion, products, regions, cities, monuments, etc.

January 13, 2024

February 10, 2024

March 9, 2024

April 13, 2024

May 11, 2024

June 8, 2024

July 13, 2024

August 10, 2024

September 14, 2024

October 12, 2024

November 9, 2024

Rok se s rokem sešel a my máme štestí, že za našimi česýymi a slovenskými dětmi opět přiletí až z Gerlachovského Štítu svatý Mikuláš v doprovodu anděla a čerta! Samozřejmě ani dospěláci nepřijdou zkrátka - jídla, pití a zábavy bude spousta, jako vždy!

Můžete se těšit na aktivity pro děti (tvoření, omalovánky, zdobení perníčků atd.), vánoční písničky a samozřejmě setkání s celou česko-slovenskou komunitou.

Tak jako pokaždé bude občerstvení formou potlucku.

Tak, jako minulý rok, bude na místě možné zakoupit pivo, víno, svařák a kafíčko a dále také klobásy, spišskě párky, vinně klobásy s výborným chlebíkem!

December 2023

On Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, members of the community came together to attend a memorial service in honor of founding board member James E. Ermis.

James was born September 26, 1935 in Beaumont, Texas and passed away peacefully at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston on November 10, 2023 after a lengthy illness. James was preceded in death by his wife of almost 60 years Danna Hopson Ermis, his mother Agnes Miculka Ermis, father Ladimer Edward Ermis and sister Virginia Ermis Harper. James is survived by his niece Linda Ellis, nephew Purvis Harper (Lynn Harper), great nieces Petria Christine Ellis, Shannon Harper Boyer (Danny Boyer), Lauren Harper Lorensen (Adam Lorensen), and great nephews Eric Wayne Ellis and Blake Allen Harper (Ashley Harper), brother-in-law Clyde Hopson, god-daughter Erin Swearingen and many additional family and friends.

James graduated from South Park High School in Beaumont, attended Texas A&M University, and graduated from Lamar University in 1959.  After graduation, James worked for Tenneco Oil and then Wing Oil Corporation as its treasurer from 1968-1998.  James loved bowling, worked part time at a bowling alley and even considered becoming a professional bowler at one time.

James and Danna lived in Houston in the early years of their marriage and then relocated to Spring, Texas where he remained until the death of his beloved wife Danna. At that time James moved to Kingwood to be close to his sister Virgie Harper, her children, and grandchildren. James was a faithful member of Kingwood Methodist Church and the Apostles Sunday School class.

James and Danna enjoyed many hobbies including jewelry making and ceramics of which family and friends were often the grateful recipients of their creativity.  James and Danna also loved traveling and often visited the Texas Hill Country, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma to visit Danna’s family homestead and to Czechoslovakia, James’ family homeland.

James was a founding board member, former treasurer, dedicated volunteer, and enthusiastic advocate for the Czech Center Museum in Houston. James and Danna’s personal collection of Czech porcelain and crystal is on display at the museum. James was extremely proud of his Czech heritage and worked tirelessly to promote the interests and reputation of the Czech Center Museum in the vibrant Houston Museum district.

On Friday, December 1, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, CCMH members and friends were invited to preview the annual fundraising auction items.

During the event, attendees were able to enjoy holiday tunes from local musicians, explore the galleries and exhibitions on all three levels - including our special exhibits Leaving Czechoslovakia and Guts & Glory. They also indulged in light refreshments and sweet treats, browsed the gift shop, and took pictures to capture special festive moments!

Members of the general public were invited to help support one of CCMH’s largest annual fundraisers for a great cause! The annual online holiday auction aided in the CCMH”s mission and contributed to the preservation of Czech heritage, culture, and history.

Individuals had the option to bid on various exclusive handpicked items such as art pieces and vintage finds on the online auction platform from November 23, 2023 at 12:00 AM to December 7, 2023 at 11:59 PM where new items were added every day.

Thank you to CCMH’s sponsors for helping make this event successful!

In honor of Czech Heritage Month, October 26, 2023, members of the general public were captivated by performances by the Apollo Chamber Players, along with special guests Lauren Spaulding - who played viola, and Norman Fischer - Professor of Cello at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. The talented musicians performed music by Czech composer Antonín Dvorák - headlined by his folk-inspired Spring Sextet.

The members of the Apollo Chamber Players include: violinists Anabel Ramirez Detrick and Matthew J. Detrick, violist Aria Cheregosha, and cellist Matthew Dudzik. The Apollo Chamber Players is based in Houston, and the members pride themselves in performing with liveliness and rearranging music for a diverse generation through globally-inspired programming and multicultural new commissions. They were the recipient of Chamber Music America’s prestigious Residency Partnership award and have performed for sold-out audiences at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. The ensemble is frequently featured on American Public Media’s nationally syndicated program Performance Today.

Lauren Spaulding has established herself as a rising genre-defying soloist and chamber musician through her Instagram account (@MonochromeViola). She’s a Texas native and studied under the teachings of Professor Peter Slowik at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music as well as under Roger Tapping of the Julliard string quartet. Lauren Spaulding’s dedication to social advocacy was able to get her the privilege of performing at the White House in 2012. As a “Champion of Change”, President Obama recognized her for her contributions in utilizing music as a catalyst for positive social transformation.

Norman Fischer has performed in concerts in five different continents and in 49 of the 50 states in the U.S. He was the cellist with the Concord String Quartet during its 16-year career, and was the winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, received two Grammy nominations along with an Emmy award. Norman Fischer is currently Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Cello and Director of Chamber Music at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston.

�鶹��Ʒ would like to thank Diana Austin, Rev. Paul Chovanec, Adelma Graham, Sharon Schweitzer J.D., Valerie Sheppard, and William and Marie Vavrik for generously supporting our Czech Heritage Month programs.

From Friday, October 20, 2023 at 10:00 AM until Saturday, December 30, 2023 at 5:00 PM, visitors were able to discover why and how over 180,000 Czechs and Slovaks immigrated to America during the communist era in Czechoslovakia. Visitors were also able to experience personal accounts of real immigrants and how they made it to America.

“Leaving Czechoslovakia” presented the stories of 20th century Czech and Slovak immigrants to America in their own words.

Hundreds of thousands of Slovaks and Czechs fled their homeland during the communist era, many risking their lives in the process. Their stories, about why and how they emigrated, are sometimes dramatic, sometimes tragic, and essential to our understanding of the events that shaped the 20th Century. These first-person accounts formed the core of “Leaving Czechoslovakia,” a traveling exhibition from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. The project captured and preserved the stories of Czechs and Slovaks who fled their homeland during the Cold War.

�鶹��Ʒ would like to thank Diana Austin, Rev. Paul Chovanec, James Ermis, Adelma Graham, Sharon Schweitzer J.D., Valerie Sheppard, William and Marie Vavrik, and donors who wish to remain anonymous for generously supporting our Czech Heritage Month programs.

On Friday, October 13, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, attendees were able to enjoy a lecture by Martin Nekola about the history of Czechs in the USA and Texas along with places and opportunities for further research while spending an afternoon at the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus.

Thousands of people dreamed of leaving poor Bohemian lands, crossing the ocean, and entering the country of endless hope. Around 1506, the first news about America in the Czech language had spread across Bohemia and was received with great interest. Only after the middle of the 19th century was there a massive wave of migration. The main motivation was the vision of better living conditions and of getting rich easily, but also there was a desire to escape the political, religious, and national oppression in Bohemia, at that time part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

Throughout the second half of the 19th century, more and more Czechs arrived. With the outbreak of the First World War in the summer of 1914, statistics state that there were about 350,000 Czechs living in the USA. The lecture will focus on places where the Czechs showed an extraordinary desire to associate, and founded a number of compatriot associations, businesses, schools, and churches, as well as publishing numerous periodicals. Dr. Martin Nekola also shared his research experience and advised how to look for ancestors from the old country.

�鶹��Ʒ would like to thank Diana Austin, Rev. Paul Chovanec, James Ermis, Adelma Graham, Sharon Schweitzer J.D., Valerie Sheppard, William and Marie Vavrik, and donors who wish to remain anonymous for generously supporting our Czech Heritage Month programs.

From Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 11:00 AM until Friday, December 22, 2023 at 4:00 PM, visitors were able to discover the incredible journey of 60,000 Czech and Slovak soldiers who were stranded in Russia during the Russian Revolution near the end of World War I as they united while seizing the Trans-Siberian Railway for a 5,000-mile trek to Vladivostok. This war train vitalized the Allies and paved the way for Czechoslovakia.

At the outbreak of World War I, Czechs and Slovaks had no country to call their own. Their lands were a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, an old aristocracy that had ruled over them for centuries. Seeing this war as an opportunity to free themselves, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Edvard Beneš and Milan Rastislav Štefánik formed the Czechoslovak National Council and worked tirelessly to establish an independent and democratic Czechoslovakia.

�鶹��Ʒ would like to thank Diana Austin, Rev. Paul Chovanec, James Ermis, Adelma Graham, Sharon Schweitzer J.D., Valerie Sheppard, William and Marie Vavrik, and donors who wish to remain anonymous for generously supporting our Czech Heritage Month programs.

From Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 11:00 AM until Monday, December 18, 2023 at 4:00 PM, visitors were able to witness the 100 Years of Czech Radio exhibit!

Radio broadcasts to the public began in Czechoslovakia on May 18, 1923. In Europe, only the BBC offered regular radio programming before Radiojurnal (the name under which Czechoslovak Radio started broadcasting) first went on the airwaves.

The station’s history reflects the history of the country - the prosperous 1920s, the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, the country’s liberation, the dark period of communism, the Prague Spring, the 1968 Soviet-led invasion, the Velvet Revolution, the break-up of Czechoslovakia, and the Czech Republic’s entry into European and transatlantic structures. Czechoslovak Radio played a crucial role in many of these historical moments.

Through unique archival photographs, Radio International Prague and Czech Center New York offer a glimpse into the life of Czech Radio, its past and present. Using QR codes, visitors can also listen to authentic historical recordings.

In addition to documenting milestone periods in the station’s history, the exhibition shows the development of broadcasting and transmission technology and presents Czech Radio not only as an institution with a century-old tradition but also as a modern public service medium.