Emancipation and civil rights exhibit comes to Cedar Rapids

Emancipation, civil rights and the connections between them are the subject of a national touring exhibition coming to Cedar Rapids this month.

The exhibit, 'Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863, and the March on Washington, 1963.” opens June 26 at the African American Museum of Iowa.

Based on an interactive exhibit developed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the traveling exhibition examines the impact of two great people's movements that resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the March on Washington in 1963.

Both grew out of decades of bold actions, resistance, organization and vision, and both are linked to the larger story of the American experience.

'I'm hopeful it will cause people to reflect on how, 100 years apart, both how much things had progressed and how little they had progressed in some areas,” says Brianna Wright, curator at the African American Museum of Iowa. 'And I hope people reflect on how, now another 50 years have passed and where we are now.”

Admission to the museum will be free while it hosts 'Changing America.”

The museum has planned programming to accompany the exhibit, starting with a talk for the grand opening by University of Iowa Archivist David McCartney on the Freedom to Vote.

An event for children, 'Mighty Times: The Children's March,” will be July 11.

'We are thrilled to have been selected as a host site for ‘Changing America,'” Wright says. 'The exhibition content will allow us to delve even deeper into exploring the decades of struggle, sacrifice, and labor that have gone into the pursuit of equal rights.”

The African American Museum of Iowa applied for grant funding in 2013 to bring the exhibit to Iowa. The exhibition explores the topics of civil rights through graphic panels with photos and images, along with a video component.

The exhibit is presented by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of American History in collaboration with the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The exhibition is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and is part of NEH's Bridging Cultures initiative, 'Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle,” which brings four films on the civil rights movement to communities across the United States. 'Created Equal” encourages communities across the country to revisit and reflect on the long history of civil rights in America.

The exhibition will travel to 50 venues across the nation, accompanied by public programming that will help audiences understand and discuss the relationship between these two great people's movements.

'Changing America” will be on display at the museum until August 7, 2015.

Related programming

Changing American: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on Washington, 1963

' What: Exhibit

' When: June 26 to Aug. 7

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

' Cost: Museum admission is free during this exhibit

' Details: blackiowa.org

The Freedom to Vote

' What: Exhibit opening reception and presentation by David McCartney, University of Iowa archivist

' When: 6 to 8 p.m. June 26

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Film Screening: Slavery by Another Name

' What: Discussion led by James Randall, retired professor of African American Studies, Coe College

' When: 6 p.m. July 2

' Where: Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Mighty Times: The Children's March

' What: Presented by African American Museum of Iowa staff

' When: 1:30 p.m. July 11

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Civil Rights, Soul Music and Black Identity

' What: Presented by Dr. Rickey Vincent, lecturer in African American Studies, University of California Berkeley

' When: 6:30 p.m. July 17

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Emancipation's Diaspora: Race and Reconstruction in the Upper Midwest

' What: Presented by Leslie Schwalm, professor of History and Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies, University of Iowa

' When: 6:30 p.m. July 30

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Book Talk: 'Freeman” by Leonard Pitts Jr.

' What: Discussion led by African American Museum of Iowa staff

' When: 11 a.m. Aug. 1

' Where: African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids