Todd DePastino, founder and executive director of the Veteran’s Breakfast Club, presents the "History of Hobos"

Todd DePastino will present a multimedia program on the history of the American hobo, a talk based on his book CITIZEN HOBO: HOW A CENTURY OF HOMELESSNESS SHAPED AMERICA. Almost every child of the Great Depression can remember hoboes, who were once common sights on America's streets, roads, and rails. Few, however, know the hobo's colorful history which stretches back to the Civil War. Hobo subculture--what Todd calls "Hobohemia"--was a world apart with its own jargon, style, and ethical code.World War II brought hobohemia to an end and set the stage for a new phenomenon we call "homelessness." Come learn the history of these rail riding wayfarers and hear Todd sing a verse or two of the hobo anthem, "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum!”