Michigan Roundtable and The Charles H. Wright Museum Partner on New Exhibit and Film Series

May 29, 2014 - PRLog -- The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion is currently hosting the Smithsonian’s “Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863, and the March on Washington, 1963” exhibit in partnership with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Also on display will be the Michigan Roundtable’s Race2Equity “We Dont Want Them” traveling exhibit.

A film series, Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle, will also be hosted at The Wright museum June 4-7, 2014.

“We believe knowledge of history, of how a variety of institutions worked together to disadvantage our African American sisters and brothers is critical to bringing about change in our region,” said Steve Spreitzer, Interim President and CEO of the Michigan Roundtable.

Juanita Moore, President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum said she embraces this opportunity to work with the Michigan Roundtable on this important project.

"For over six decades, the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion has championed the cause of diversity in our community. We are glad to work with them to display the history of their efforts in bridging the gap between different cultures.  This exhibition aligns seamlessly with our museum's educational mission," said Moore. "The exhibition tells an inspirational story of courage and conviction, of trials and triumph, of honor and hope, of faith and fortitude.”

A preview of the exhibit will be held Thursday, May 29 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Wright and will feature Peter Hammer, Director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights of Wayne State University School of Law.

The exhibit will then be open to the public.


The film series schedule is:

5:30 to 8 p.m. June 4, 2014 – The Abolitionists

5:30 to 8 p.m. June 5, 2014 – Slavery by Another Name

5:30 to 8 p.m. June 6, 2014 – First Friday Forum – Race and Love: The Loving Story Partnered with the Detroit Loving Day Group

The “We Dont Want Them” exhibit is part of the Michigan Roundtable’s Race2Equity project and explores the history of residential segregation in southeast Michigan and its continued impact of racial inequity in Metro Detroit communities.

The “Changing America” exhibit examines the relationship between two great people’s movements that resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation in 1963, and the March on Washington in 1963. Both grew out of decades of bold actions, resistance, organization and vision. One hundred years separate them, yet they are linked in a larger story of liberty and American experience – one that has had a profound impact on the generations that followed.

The “Changing America” 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 tour of the exhibition is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.

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.  This is the only venue in Michigan to host this exhibit.

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About The Michigan Roundtable's Race2Equity Project: A multi-year campaign to engage the larger community in dialogue and planning to grow a more equitable, vibrant region and city by 2020. For more information visit www.race2equity.org.

The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion has been a not-for-profit human rights organization located in Detroit working to overcome discrimination and racism by crossing racial, religious, ethnic and cultural boundaries for the past 73 years. We bring together community leaders from government, law enforcement, education, faith, grass roots organizations and business to understand different points of view and then take action to overcome structural impediments to inclusion and equity. Our programs are recognized by national organizations for bringing about sustainable change.

About The Wright Museum  Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience. For more information please visit TheWright.org (http://www.thewright.org/) or call (313) 494-5800.