• Freedom’s Sisters is an interactive exhibition honoring 20 African-American women who have worked for freedom and equality in America.
• In honor of Dr. Betty Shabazz, New York is the third and final stop of the extended tour
• Opening to feature civil rights icon and poet Sonia Sanchez from the Freedom’s Sisters national exhibition and others.
"The women honored in Freedom's Sisters are an inspiration to people of all ages and backgrounds" said Pamela Alexander, director, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "We felt that the Shabazz Center would be the perfect place to host the final stop of the exhibition because Dr. Betty Shabazz is one of the greatest heroines of our day.”
Celebrating its centenary this year, historical Audubon Building has global significance. It serves as a memorial to Malcolm X who was assassinated in 1965 in front of his wife, Dr. Betty Shabazz, their children and hundreds of admirers. In the 1980’s, Dr. Shabazz fought hard to save the building from demolition. The Audubon was later renamed The Shabazz Center to memorialize her life and legacy alongside her husband.
The Freedom's Sisters national exhibit features 20 African-America women ranging from key 19th century historical figures like Ida B. Wells to contemporary leaders such as poet and activist Sonia Sanchez. Their stories of courage, commitment and struggle in the name of freedom helped shape the spirit and substance of civil rights in America.
Activities for the exhibition will begin Thursday, Feb. 2 with a press preview starting at 2PM featuring Freedom's Sisters honorees prior to a private reception for the Freedom's Sisters Committee of Honor and other dignitaries that evening. Honored guests will include national Freedom's Sister Dr. Sonia Sanchez, who is featured as part of the exhibition and The Insider’s Kevin Frazier will emcee the evening’s event.
On Friday, February 3, there will also be an intimate panel discussion with inspirational women who reflect the values and views of the 20 original Freedom’s Sisters. The discussion will include key members of the New York community, as well as poet and activist Sonya Sanchez, actress, playwright and poet Ruby Dee, and other national leaders.
“These 20 women left not a footnote but a footprint on American history,” said Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service Director Anna R. Cohn. “Many of their stories may not be well known, but their roles and contributions were monumental in shaping our country and its conscience.”
Freedom's Sisters was created by Cincinnati Museum Center and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The national tour is made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund. The exhibition will remain at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center through April 2012.
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. For more than 60 years, Ford Motor Company Fund has operated with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 25,000 Ford employees and dealers work on projects each year that better their communities in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com
ABOUT CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is home to the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. It is a nationally recognized educational and research resource and one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest. Cincinnati Museum Center serves more than one million visitors annually, reaching out to almost 200,000 young people through hands-on exhibits and programs. As a center for the community, more than 700 events are held in the building each year. Originally built in 1933 as the Union Terminal train station, the building is a national historic landmark and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990. For information, call (513) 287-7000 or 1-800-733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.
ABOUT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION TRAVELING EXHIBITION SERVICE (SITES)
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For more information, including exhibition descriptions and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.
ABOUT THE MALCOLM X & DR. BETTY SHABAZZ MEMORIAL AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER
The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center continues the work of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz through the advancement of human rights and social justice. Our goal is to empower oppressed peoples to promote greater participation in civil society and facilitate social transformation beyond tolerance to understanding between all people.
Contacts:Xina Eiland
Ntouch Communications
(703) 785-4358
xina@aol.com
Christin Chism
SITES
(202) 633-3159
chismc@si.edu
Mark Harding
Malcolm X & Betty Shabazz Center
(212) 568-1341
nyharding@gmail.com
Comments
Post has no comments.