The Wright presents a special guest post, courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Showcasing the DNR - You’re invited to share these stories with friends, family and anyone you believe finds value in learning about the DNR’s efforts to better connect people of all ages to Michigan’s great outdoors and cultural heritage.

The Archives of Michigan is home to plentiful prison records – a valuable research tool for genealogists. Shown here are 19th-century prison records from Marquette State Prison.

Genealogy – tracing the roots of a family tree – is personal, creative and rewarding detective work. Turn on the radio or TV, surf the Web or pick up the newspaper – chances are you’ll come across a story about someone who has discovered an unexpected family connection across the generations.

“Popular television shows like ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ – a program that captured the experience of celebrities exploring their family histories – tells me that this kind of research and the stories it unearths have a real hook in popular culture,” said Kris Rzepczynski, senior archivist at the Archives of Michigan.

JULY 2012: The Voices of the Civil War is a five-year film series dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the Civil War over the course of the sesquicentennial. Each month, new episodes cover pertinent topics that follow the monthly events and issues as they unfolded for African Americans during the Civil War. Within these episodes there are various primary sources – letters and diaries, newspaper reports, and more - to recount various experiences of blacks during this period. We encourage your feedback and commentary through our Voices of the Civil War web blog.

Click on the links below to view prior episodes:

• Episode 1 Part 1 click here
• Episode 1 Part 2 click here
• Episode 2 click here
• Episode 3 click here
• Episode 4 click here
• Episode 5 click here

At the time of Civil War, 18.9 million Americans lived in the North versus 8 million Americans in the South. These overwhelming numbers along with other resources had a critical impact upon the course and outcome of the war. Why was the Confederate army, representing territories with less than half the population of the North, confident they could win the Civil War?

Credits

Shot 1 National Portrait Gallery
Shot 2 White House Historical Association
Shots 3 - 4 Library of Congress
Shot 5 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Shots 6 -7 Library of Congress
Shot 8 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Shots 9 - 21 Library of Congress

MAY 2012: The Voices of the Civil War is a five-year film series dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the Civil War over the course of the sesquicentennial. Each month, new episodes will cover pertinent topics that follow the monthly events and issues as they unfolded for African Americans during the Civil War.  Within these episodes there are various primary sources – letters and diaries, newspaper reports, and more - to recount various experiences of blacks during this period. We encourage your feedback and commentary through our Voices of the Civil War web blog.

Click on the links below to view prior episodes:

• Episode 1 Part 1 click here

• Episode 1 Part 2 click here

• Episode 2 click here

• Episode 3 click here

In Episode 4, Resistance To Slavery, abolitionists like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass use the Underground Railroad to help the enslaved find freedom in the North, while authors like Theodore Dwight Weld and Harriett Beecher Stowe fight slavery by publishing its horrors worldwide.  At the beginning of the Civil War the use of the Underground Railroad declines as those seeking freedom begin a much bigger fight.

Credits

Shot 1 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-59655]
Shot 2 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-highsm-09900]
Shot 3 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-D416-364]
Shot 4 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZC4-2522]
Shot 5 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-28860]
Shot 6 ArtSmart: Indiana
Shot 7 Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad by Paul Collins (Courtesy of Paul and Carol Collins)
Shot 8 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-7816]
Shot 9 Public Domain
Shot 10 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-15887]
Shot 11 "Theodore Dwight Weld."  Photograph by unknown photographer, no date.  From the Portraits of American Abolitionists Collection.  Photograph number 81.679.  Massachusetts Historical Society.
Shot 12 Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.
Shot 13 Courtesy of Google Books
Shot 14 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-28542]
Shot 15 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs, [LC-USZ62-11212]
Shot 16 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs, [LC-USZ62-13513]
Shot 17 Jewett Advertisement, Backpages of "Edition for the Million" Uncle Tom's
Cabin (Boston: John P. Jewett & Company, 1853) The Clifton Waller Barrett Collection, Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia    
Shot 18 Library of Congress - Rare Book and Special Collections Division
Shot 19 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-13954]
Shot 20 Underground Rail Road: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, etc.  Philadelphia, PA: Porter & Coales, Publishers, 1872; MSA L1117, Image No: 272, Collection of the Maryland State Archives
Shot 21 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-stereo-1s02762]
Shot 22 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Blanche Coggan Collection
Shot 23 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZC4-10315]
Shot 24 Underground Rail Road: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, etc.  Philadelphia, PA: Porter & Coales, Publishers, 1872; MSA L1117, Image No: 272, Collection of the Maryland State Archives
Shot 25 Courtesy of Jon Euseary
Shot 26 Courtesy of Jon Euseary

It’s part of my daily work routine to enter through the back door of the Museum since that’s the staff entrance. I hop on the elevator and take a swift ride up to the mezzanine, fire up my computer and get to work for the day. From the “Mezz” (which is sometimes dubbed the “pent house” by Museum employees that work on the lower levels), I gaze down at the Museum’s enormous Ford Freedom Rotunda countless numbers of times per day.

MARCH 2012: The Voices of the Civil War is a five-year film series dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the Civil War over the course of the sesquicentennial. Each month, new episodes will cover pertinent topics that follow the monthly events and issues as they unfolded for African Americans during the Civil War.  Within these episodes there are various primary sources – letters and diaries, newspaper reports, and more - to recount various experiences of blacks during this period. We encourage your feedback and commentary through our Voices of the Civil War web blog.

To see the Introduction or Episode 1 Part 1 videos click here.

To see Episode 1 Part 2 click here.

In Episode 2, "Banneker’s Letter," we commend African Americans who fought back against prejudice and racism long before the Civil War, with a focus on Benjamin Banneker.  In 1791, Banneker confronted Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson about his conflicting views of slavery. He challenged Jefferson’s perception of African Americans by offering himself as a role model of intelligence, wit and strength.

Credits

Shot 1 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-132557]

Shot 2 U.S. Civil War 1860 Map - Florida Center for Instructional Technology

Shot 3 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Harper’s Weekly

Shot 4 Wikimedia Commons

Shot 5 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Harper’s Weekly

Shot 6 Library of Congress, Alfred Whital Stern Collection, Rare Book and Special Collection Division, us-120

Shot 7 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-112670]

Shot 8 Collection of the Banneker-Douglass Museum, http://www.bdmuseum.com/

Shot 9 Maryland Map Collection, Special Collections, University of Maryland

Shot 10 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-highsm-09905]

Shot 11 Courtesy of the New York Public Library, NYPL

Shot 12 Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress

Shot 13 Collection of the Banneker-Douglass Museum, http://www.bdmuseum.com/

Shot 14 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-ppmsca-15715]

Shot 15 Massachusetts Historical Society

Shot 16 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-117117]

Shot 17 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-MSS-27748-21]        

Shot 18 Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress

Shot 19 Collection of the Banneker-Douglass Museum, http://www.bdmuseum.com/

Shot 20 National Archives & Records Administration, 200-FL-22

Shot 21 Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-DIG-ppmsca-10868]

FEBRUARY 2012: The Voices of the Civil War is a five-year film series dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the Civil War over the course of the sesquicentennial. Each month, new episodes will cover pertinent topics that follow the monthly events and issues as they unfolded for African Americans during the Civil War.  Within these episodes there are various primary sources – letters and diaries, newspaper reports, and more - to recount various experiences of blacks during this period. We encourage your feedback and commentary through our Voices of the Civil War web blog.

To see the Introduction or Episode 1 Part 1 videos click here.

The American Civil War was one of the most destructive armed conflicts that the United States has ever fought. But, how did this nation, less than one hundred years old in 1865, arrive at the point of Civil War?

In the conclusion to episode 1, "The Original Sin," we travel back to the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. Here we see disunion already brewing over the issue of slavery. Delegates like James Madison, George Mason, and Benjamin Franklin pontificate on the effects of building a new nation on the backs of tyranny.

Credits

Shot 1-7,9,10,12,13,16,19,20,23,24,28,29,31,34,37,38,40-43: Courtesy of the Library of Congress, [lc-uszc2-2354, LC-DIG-ds-00120, LC-DIG-ppmsca-21740, LC-USP6-2415-A, lc-uszc2-2354, LC-USZ62-2276, LC-DIG-cwpb-05635, LC-USZ62-90258, LC-DIG-cwpb-03711, LC-USZC6-45, rbpe 00103300, LC-USZ62-67819, LC-DIG-ppmsca-31705, LC-USZ62-2770, LC-USZC4-7216, LC-USZ62 – 16960, rbpe 00103300, LC-DIG-ppmsca-05453, LC-USZ62-89701, LC-USZ62-90398, LC-USZC6-48, LC-USZC4-2520, LC-USZC4-528, LC-DIG-cwpb-05635, LC-DIG-ppmsca-21740, LC-DIG-ppmsca-10874]

Shot 8: Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, http://library.sc.edu/socar/

Shot 11,18,36: From the collections of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, (Schneider Collection)

Shot 15,30,39: Courtesy National Archives, [ARC Identifier 1656604; ARC Identifier 1667751, ARC Identifier 301682]  

Shot 21: White House Historical Association (White House Collection)

Shot 22: Florida Center for Instructional Technology, http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/

Shot 25: Courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society, http://www.vahistorical.org/

Shot 32,35: Courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol

Shot 33: © Courtesy of the Board of Regents of Gunston Hall

Museum intern Leah Johnson presents an article detailing the importance of the Association for the Study of African Life and History.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X

Education.

That was the overarching theme at my first meeting with the Detroit branch of the Association for the Study of African Life and History (ASALH). Prior to attending the meeting, I knew little about ASALH. I now know this organization was founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History. Its mission is to “promote research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.” Monthly, this group of average, yet distinguished individuals meets at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History to discuss various topics relating to our history and life.

At the Wright Museum partnerships are essential in achieving our greater goals of exploring our history, celebrating the arts and serving the community.  We constantly seek out and are engaged in numerous partnerships.  In May we have two wonderful collaborations, one in its 13th year and the other an initial offering.

 

Always the premier annual event for the Charles H. Wright Museum, this year's Ford Freedom Award Gala taking place May 17 is truly special.  On this date we celebrate the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, one of the most impactful legal decisions in American history, and the life journey of this year's Ford Freedom Award Scholar, Judge Damon J. Keith.  Honoring Judge Keith is a real privilege for me and the museum.  Amidst all the awards Judge Keith has and continues to receive, each of which he truly deserves, to be recognized as a Ford Freedom Award Scholar places him in the company of the likes of Dorothy Height, Nelson Mandela and other outstanding individuals who've served as living legacies of our highest ideals.

 

Legacies abound in Detroit, including the Heidelberg Project.  The Wright Museum is pleased to partner with the Heidelberg Project to present its 25^th anniversary retrospective exhibit.  On May 19^th, we invite you to the artist’s reception, featuring a candid discussion with Heidelberg Project creator, Tyree Guyton and its Executive Director, Jenenne Whitfield.  Guyton and Whitfield will explain how the two have managed to keep the Heidelberg vision fresh and growing, amidst obstacles, demolitions and a shoestring budget.  Oliver Ragsdale, Jr., President of the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center will moderate the discussion.

 

Whether with Ford Motor Company or the Heidelberg Project, in times like these, the desire to broaden our reach makes partnerships pivotal.  And when the exponential impact created through collaboration helps us achieve our goals, we come to realize that, in the end, we all exist to serve one another.

Each year, tens of thousands of visitors from around the world walk through the entrance of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and are immediately drawn to the Ring of Genealogy with its engraved gold-plated names and marble design on the floor of the Museum’s Ford Freedom Rotunda.  Soon visitors will also see the name of Judge Constance Baker Motley.  On occasion, the tour guides will inform many of them, particularly school-age children, why her name is in this place for only those who are held in the highest esteem in the annals of African American History.

 

On Tuesday May 17, 2011 at 6 pm, over 300 distinguished guests will gather at the Charles H. Wright Museum for the annual and stately Ford Freedom Awards Gala that will posthumously honor Judge Constance Baker Motley as a Champion of Justice.  The only female lawyer as part of the legendary NAACP Legal Defense Fund team, Constance Baker Motley, as a young law clerk under the tutelage of Thurgood Marshall, assisted in writing the briefs for the historic 1954 Brown v. Board case.  After Brown, the New York Times reported that she argued nearly every important Civil Rights case for two decades before becoming appointed the first black woman to serve as a federal district judge.

 

Also on this evening, the Honorable Damon J. Keith will be recognized as the living person who best exemplifies the character, stature, and values of the principal honoree.  Both Judges Baker Motley’s and Keith’s contributions and life will be presented in a special program in the Museum’s theater, an occasion not to be missed, especially by those in the legal and Civil Rights community.

 

Ford Motor Company and Charles H. Wright Museum honor both Judges Baker Motley and Keith because they are an essential part of our Nation’s quest to realize its most cherished ideals – liberty, freedom, and equality.  When Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence, nearly a quarter of the population were enslaved, and women had no legal standing as citizens in this nation.  Almost immediately, courageous men and women, mostly white Quakers and free African Americans, voiced their opposition against the actions of a society that declared itself a free nation while enslaving a significant part of its population.  Their constant and relentless agitation eventually forced the nation to face its Constitutional contradictions.  This brought forth a great Civil War that resulted in the passage of the 13th Amendment, outlawing slavery, the 14th Amendment, providing equal protection to all its citizens, including African Americans, and the 15th Amendment, providing African American men the right to vote.

Spring is the season of renewal, when the rhythms of the earth and sun create lengthening days and life responds by bursting forth from its winter hibernation. For the Charles H. Wright Museum, our yearly renewal begins with MLK Day, Black History and Women’s History Month exhibitions and events that propel us forward like shoots from the soil to even greater things to come. To everyone who visited and experienced the film series, concerts and performances over the past few months, thank you so very much, and we do hope you join us again soon!

Poetry & Spoken Word Month
April is Poetry and Spoken Word Month, and we’ll be celebrating African American contributions to the craft with a Bamboo Muse reading featuring artist Alonzo Davis and poetry inspired by his works, a Remembering Mahogany open mic poetry performance, and the GRIOT youth story slam. We’re also partnering with Detroit Public Television to present two fantastic, free film screenings, Freedom Riders and Bhutto. And for the sake of our community’s financial well-being, we’re continuing the Smart Money Management workshop series presented by the Urban Financial Services Coalition. These free events are aimed at fostering financial literacy for both adults and children.

Ford Freedom Award
If you had to select just one event that truly encapsulates the museum’s mission, you couldn’t go wrong with the Ford Freedom Award, an annual fundraiser made possible by the generous support of Ford Motor Company. Taking place Tuesday May 17, this year’s event focuses on the law and honors “Champions of Justice” Judge Constance Baker Motley and Judge Damon J. Keith. An essay contest has been completed for grades 4 - 8 that attracts schools from across the region, as will the Scholar’s Lecture by Judge Keith to be held during the day on May 17. That evening’s black-tie gala event will follow Judge Baker Motley’s name being enshrined in the Ford Freedom Rotunda’s Ring of Genealogy, and is an event that is truly not to be missed. History, education, entertainment and achievement - this event has it all!

Dance Theatre of Harlem
In addition to our newest exhibitions, The Heidelberg Project: Art in the Streets and The Chris Webber Collection: Exceptional People During Extraordinary Times, 1755 – Present, we are excited to be hosting Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts opening this June. This traveling exhibit is a project of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem and the California African American Museum, and will reflect on the more than 40 years of history of this ground- and stereotype-breaking company.

In reflecting on the daily life and work of the museum, we of course have the events we plan for. But there are also those moments of glorious improvisation, such as when the North Carolina Central University Choir, upon completion of its tour, broke into song on the rotunda floor, followed by an impromptu performance by one of their members on the cello. As the strains of the prelude to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major reverberated off the dome, all present felt the magic and magnificence of a bit of history being made, as it is each day, within this wonderful museum. Do come be a part of it.

As we hurtle into the month of March there is the hope that winter is behind us and spring is right around the corner.  This month, our focus will be in honor of Women's History Month. These photos will not feature famous women or those we all know or have heard stories about, but rather women that made their own version of progress. The strides they made were no less important than their more famous counterparts.

This is a photo from the PH Polk Collection. Mr. Polk's work is so vast and rich with context that we could do a whole year or more of posts containing his photography. This a photo of a graduation procession taken in 1935. The location and story behind this photo is unknown. Presumably it was taken in the south, most likely Alabama, where most of Mr. Polk's work has been set. In any event, in 1935, the words "woman" and "graduation" were not often found together. Even as graduation rates would steadily rise, women were still expected to rear the children and do the house work, making school was secondary. It's wonderful to see these women flaunting their achievement and holding their heads high. Without women like this blazing a path in 1935, the world we are in now would be much different.

 

Collection: PH Polk, year: 1935.  Photograph courtesy of the Collections and Exhibitions department of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (http://chwmuseum.org). Research, caption and scanning by Derek Thomas Sojda.  For more information please contact the Louise Lovett Wright Library and Robert L. Hurst Research Center at (313) 494-5840 or via email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For this and other informative posts, please visit http://chwmuseum.org/explore/blog.

Are you concerned about the academic achievement gap amongst the students in your neighborhood, your church or our nation?

Do you want to help the parents of African-American male students, the lowest scoring subgroup on national achievement tests?

Please invite concerned persons to listen to this weekly, educational radio program:

"Save Our Black Boys" Radio
1440 AM Detroit
Online - www.1440wdrj.com
Thursday March 9, 2011 @ 7:30 pm Eastern Time

This is an educational news radio program to inform and inspire parents to initiate lifestyle changes in the home that promote academic improvement for their sons at school.  Please invite a parent to tune in weekly, every Thursday at 7:30 pm -  online - www.1440wdrj.com or locally in Detroit 1440 AM.

This week's topic: "Redesign Your Home for Academic Success" with a message from President Barack Obama.

The broadcast is repeated on Saturday night at 11:30 pm.

Thank you!

Jacqueline Galloway-Blake
Educational Consultant
Brown Sugar & Spice Book & Educational Services
www.brownSSbooks.com

Let the competition begin!  Contestants for the second annual 30 Days To Lose It! weight-loss challenge being hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American will be announced on Tuesday, March 1. The evening’s schedule, which includes free health screenings, a Jazzercise workout and other activities, begins at 6 pm at the museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Detroit. PLEASE NOTE: contest submissions will not be accepted that evening.

The museum accepted submissions in January and February from women ages 18 and over and 30 pounds or more overweight who explained in 3 - 5 minute videos via YouTube why they should be selected as a weight-loss candidate. The panel of experts that was assembled to review these submissions and select the contestants included:

 

• Dr. Yvonne Anthony, Director, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion

• Florine Mark, President and CEO, The WW Group

• Dr. Cynthia Taueg, Vice President of Community Health, St. John Health System

• Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Vice President, Community Health, Education and Wellness, Henry Ford Institute Health System

 

The finalists must attend 30 Days To Lose It! on March 1st to finalize their participation. Selected contestants will then begin a specialized, weekly regimen with Range of Motion Fitness, Weight Watchers, Body By Claudia and Energetic Soul.

The winner of the month-long challenge will receive a 1-year membership at Range of Motion Fitness including online fitness and nutrition tracking programs; a 12-week pass to a local Weight Watchers meeting; free attendance to a 2nd Saturday Wellness Workshop by Dr. Velonda Thompson of Be-Fit Inc.; Jafra beauty products; a makeover by Let’s Get Gorgeous, the image consulting firm headed by former Biggest Loser Carla Triplett; the Workout & Worship book and DVD by Lazet Michaels Boatman, CEO of Life Center Private Fitness Facility; and a $25 gift certificate to the Charles H. Wright Museum store.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, four out of five African American women are overweight.  In response to this health crisis, the Charles H. Wright Museum brought back its popular 30 Days To Lose It! program, originally inspired by the hit TV show, “The Biggest Loser,” as a year-long fitness and health drive for all women in September 2010.  Now endorsed by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports, ongoing fitness and health sessions take place every Tuesday evening at the museum.

30 Days To Lose It! is free for museum members and $5 for non-members per session.  Non-members who attend 8 consecutive sessions receive a complimentary museum membership, making their next 12 months free.  Attendees should enter the museum through the main (Warren Avenue) entrance.  Well-lit parking is free on Warren Avenue after 6 pm, and on Brush Street.  Sponsors of 30 Days To Lose It! include Weight Watchers, the Henry Ford Institute on Multicultural Health, Range of Motion Fitness, FitnessWorks, Cabot Creamery Cooperative and The City of Detroit Department of Health & Wellness Promotion.

 

Founded in 1965 and located in Detroit’s Cultural Center, 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 http://www.chwmuseum.org.

 

30 Days To Lose It! Schedule of Events

Tentative schedule; dates and details subject to change.  For up-to-date information, please call (313) 494-5817 or visit http://www.chwmuseum.org.

MARCH 2011 – The Challenge!
Focus: Nutrition
Weekly workout @ 7:30 pm:  Jazzercise (Sondra Jackson, fitness director, Northwest Activity Center)
Free Screening:  Tuesday, March 1, 6 - 7:30 pm
Seminar(s):  March 8, Eating Healthy on the Run (Dr. Velonda Thompson, PhD, president, Be-Fit Inc.); March 15, Beautiful, from the Inside Out (Carla Triplett and Anquinette Mosley, partners, Let’s Get Gorgeous); March 22, Beauty Secrets (Steven Thomas, founder, Amethyst International)
Special:  Announce contestants for the second annual 30 Days To Lose It! weight-loss challenge, Tuesday, March 1, 6:30 p.m.; Weekly message therapy (Carrie Hendricks, Loving Hands Massages; Roderick Wright, Roderick’s Therapeutic Massage, Jonathan Burt, Burt & Company Massage Therapy) $

The Ford Freedom Award is given posthumously to honorees who have dedicated their life to improving the African American community and the world at large through their chosen fields. Each year, a Ford Freedom Award honoree and scholar are selected. The scholar is chosen for furthering the honoree's achievements for a new generation. The 2011 Ford Freedom Award will focus on the law and recognizes the accomplishments of Judge Constance Baker Motley, the 2011 Ford Freedom Award Honoree, and the 2011 Ford Freedom Award scholar, Judge Damon J. Keith

In celebration of the 2011 Ford Freedom Award's recognition of these noteworthy jurists, Michigan students in grades 4-8 are invited to submit essays by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1 on the following topic:

The law affects people in many ways. Laws cover both big issues - business practices, violent crimes - and smaller issues - how many days kids go to school, what to do at a crosswalk or red light. Laws are national, state and local. Pick a law that affects you or your family every day. Research what the law was designed to do, how and when it was passed and how life in the community is better as a result of the law.

All participating classes will be invited to attend the FREE 2011 Scholar's Lecture to be held in the spring of 2011. The date and location of the event are yet to be determined. Seats at the lecture will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference always given to classes participating in the essay contest.

Teachers of the winning students will receive tickets to the black-tie Ford Freedom Awards Gala.

Contest Prizes

1st Prize--$5,000 U.S. Savings Bond, Ford Freedom Award medal and certificate of merit for ONE winner
2nd Prize--$2,500 U.S. Savings Bond, Ford Freedom Award medal and certificate of merit for ONE winner
3rd Prize--$1,000 U.S. Savings Bond, Ford Freedom Award medal and certificate of merit for ONE winner
Honorable Mentions -- $250 U.S. Savings Bonds, Ford Freedom Award medals and certificates of merit for TWO winners

►Click here for contest guidelines and an entry form

Brought to you by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services in cooperation with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Coming on the heels of another successful Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History has released its programming schedule for Black History Month. Typically the museum’s busiest month of the year, this February’s schedule includes a film series; music, poetry and traditional African drumming and dance performances; and workshops and panel discussions.  A detailed list of times, dates and descriptions is attached.  All events will take place at the museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Detroit’s Midtown.

Says new museum Director of Education, Malika Pryor, “We’re excited to host a variety of programs that will appeal to many different audiences and age groups, from families and elders to couples looking for a romantic night out.  February’s events are a genuine cross-section of the rich diversity of African American history and culture that is the museum’s mission to advance and explore.“

 

A special Black History Month Film Series sponsored by Comcast takes place each Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm.  The films include comedian Chris Rock’s Good Hair; the Detroit premiere of Night Catches Us starring Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington; the documentary Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story in partnership with Detroit Public Television; and This is My Africa, described as a 50-minute crash course in the diversity of African culture.  All film screenings are free and will include an associated panel discussion.

 

Performances for Black History Month include Grammy nominated musical artist Eric Roberson performing to benefit the Howard University Alumni Club of Detroit Scholarship Fund; the Freedom 2011 Jazz Concert in partnership with Detroit Jazz Fest; Love and Revolution, a poetry duet by Ras Baraka and jessica Care moore to celebrate Valentine’s Day; Saturday in Blue: a Tribute to Blues Masters Billie, Bessie & Ida featuring Detroit’s own Thornetta Davis and Memphis’ Queen of Beale Street, Ruby Wilson; We Remember You, with world-renowned poets Dr. Haki R. Madhubuti and Dr. Sonia Sanchez honoring the works of famous African American literary giants; and from Washington, D.C., Farafina Kan, a traditional African drumming and dance ensemble that will be sure to bring the house down in the museum’s GM Theater.

 

A variety of workshops and educational programs are also scheduled, including a focus on heart health in partnership with the American Heart Association for the weekly health and fitness program 30 Days To Lose It!, ongoing Hustle for History dance lessons, a hands-on art workshop and evening lecture with the exhibiting artists of the museum’s exhibition, “Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images 1980 – 2000,” and a youth short film festival to cap the Just Like Me & Oscar Micheaux film production program.  Over the course of this project, local teens worked steadily on their own films, and will be screening them publicly.

 

In addition to these exciting events, the museum is offering special discounts on memberships during the month of February: individual memberships for $25, and family memberships for $50.  Memberships are good for a full year and allow for free admission to the museum’s exhibitions, members’ only previews, and discounts on special events and in the museum store.  Information on memberships is available at the museum and on the museum’s website.

 

Founded in 1965 and located in Detroit’s Cultural Center, 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 http://www.chwmuseum.org.

 

# # #

 

Events at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Open Every Day of Black History Month

February 2011

 

30 Days To Lose It! Screening, Seminar & Workout (recurring weekly - $)

Tuesday 2/1 @ 6 pm

This year-long fitness and health drive aims to help women adopt healthy lifestyles for the long haul.  February's theme of "Living to the Beat (of Your Heart)" will focus on heart health.  Tuesday 2/1 will feature a health screening at 6 pm (registration required); Matters of the Heart seminar in partnership with the American Heart Association featuring Janine Krolikowski, heart attack survivor and national Go Red For Women spokesperson, Dr. Rasha Bazari, cardiologist, the Ministrelli Women's Heart Center, Beaumont Hospital, and Fox 2 Morning News anchor Anqunette Jamison as moderator; weekly Hustle for Health workout with Thomasenia Johnson of Two Left Feet @ 7:30; and free hand treatments by Beverly Cotton, Jafra Cosmetics.  Free for members, $5 for non-members. Purchase 8 sessions and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months FREE! For more information please call (313) 494-5817 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/117-30-days-to-lose-it-screening-seminar-a-workout

Good Hair (film screening)

Wednesday 2/2 @ 6:30 pm

Chris Rock and filmmaker Jeff Stilson examine black America's obsession with its hair as they visit the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show; interview African American celebrities and icons including Maya Angelou, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Nia Long, Raven Symone, Ice-T, and Paul Mooney about their hair; research the dangers of many common hair-straightening treatments; reveal the surprising expense of regular hair "relaxing" and weaves; and ponder what the pursuit of straight hair says about African American cultural identity. Good Hair received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.  Presented in partnership with the Shrine of the Black Madonna.  A panel discussion will follow the screening.  This event is FREE and open to the public.  The Black History Month film series is sponsored by Comcast.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/123-good-hair-film-screening

Artist Reception for Gale Fulton Ross

Thursday 2/3 @ 6 pm

Experience the museum's newest exhibition and meet the artist!  In Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise: An Artist’s Journey, Florida-based Gale Fulton Ross utilizes a multifaceted approach to describe her journey from confusion and despair to self-forgiveness, enlightenment, and artistic freedom. Her first-person visual narrative is loosely based on Dante’s Divine Comedy, an epic poem written in the 12th century.  Like the protagonist in Dante’s poem, trusted historical luminaries, Aunt Jemima and Sojourner Truth, guide Ross through the inferno of Hell, the misery of Purgatory, and the ecstasy of Paradise.  This event is FREE and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/139-artist-reception-for-gale-fulton-ross-a-hell-purgatory-and-paradise-an-artists-journey

Art of the Masters Workshop

Saturday 2/5 @ 11 am

Experience the exhibit, "Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980 - 2000," with teaching artists Jide Aje and Carole Morisseau.  This workshop will focus on Adrinka symbols and flags, with collage, mixed media and fibers.  Free with museum admission.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/137-art-of-the-masters-workshop

An Evening with Eric Roberson & Friends ($)

Saturday 2/5 @ 8 pm

Grammy nominated musical artist and Howard University graduate Eric Roberson performs at the Charles H. Wright Museum to benefit the Howard University Alumni Club of Detroit Scholarship Fund.  Hosted by Howard University grad Piper Carter.  Tickets are $35 in advance via eventbrite.com and $40 at the door. For more information call the museum at (313) 494-5800 or the Howard University Detroit Alum line at (248) 910-3027.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/126-an-evening-with-eric-roberson-a-friends

 

Hustle for History (recurring weekly - $)

Sunday 2/6 from 5 - 7 pm

Get your groove on with our weekly hustle lessons, taught by instructors "Two Left Feet" and "Shorti Smoove."  Free for Members, $7 for non-members. Purchase 5 lessons and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months of hustle lessons FREE! http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/118-hustle-for-history

30 Days To Lose It! Seminar & Workout (recurring weekly - $)

Tuesday 2/8 @ 6 pm

February's focus is on Heart Health.  Tuesday 2/8 will feature a Heart Smart Recipes seminar @ 6 pm featuring cooking demonstrations by Chef Jesse Gales of Weight Watchers, and weekly Hustle for Health workout with Thomasenia Johnson of Two Left Feet @ 7:30.  Free for members, $5 for non-members. Purchase 8 sessions and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months FREE!  For more information please call (313) 494-5817 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/124-30-days-to-lose-it-seminar-a-workout

Night Catches Us (film screening & Detroit premiere)

Wednesday 2/9 @ 6:30 pm

Marcus (Anthony Mackie) was born and raised in Philadelphia, but hasn't been there for years when he comes back in 1976 to attend the funeral of his father, a local minister.  As Marcus visits his old neighborhood, he has to deal with strained relationships in his family and the distrust of old friends convinced he betrayed a close friend; he also spends some time with Patricia (Kerry Washington), a fellow activist he used to love who was also married to the man Marcus is said to have betrayed.  Featuring an original score by the Roots, Night Catches Us received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and was directed by Tanya Hamilton. A panel discussion will follow the screening.  This event is FREE and open to the public. The Black History Month film series is sponsored by Comcast.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/122-night-catches-us-film-screening

 

Black, Latin... Both! (lecture & discussion)

Thursday 2/10 @ 6 pm

Presented by Wayne State University in partnership with the Charles H. Wright Museum and Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation (DHDC), Miriam Jiménez Román and Juan Flores will present a discussion on their groundbreaking book, The Afro-Latin Reader: History and Culture in the United States.  This event is FREE and open to the public. http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/140-black-latin-both-lecture-a-discussion

 

Freedom 2011 Jazz Concert

Friday 2/11 @ 7:30 pm

In recognition of Black History Month, Detroit Jazz Fest, in partnership with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, presents Freedom 2011: Jazz statements from the Civil Rights Movement arranged and performed by DJF Artist in Residence Jeff "Tain" Watts and featuring Wessell Anderson, Geri Allen, Nicholas Payton, Robert Hurst and Mavis SWAN Poole.  This event is FREE and open to the public, but seating is limited - please RSVP by February 10 at freedom2011.eventbrite.com. http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/125-freedom-2011-jazz-concert

 

Hustle for History (recurring weekly - $)

Sunday 2/13 from 5 - 7 pm

http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/119-hustle-for-history

 

Love and Revolution - a Celebration of the Culture and People We Adore ($)

Monday 2/14 @ 7:30 pm

The perfect romantic evening includes a duet performance by poets Ras Baraka and jessica Care moore, dessert and drink in the museum’s beautiful GM Theater & Ford Rotunda.  Tickets are $10 / $7 for members, and the authors will sign books after the performance.  Sponsored by PNC Bank.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/134-love-and-revolution-a-valentines-poetry-performance-

 

30 Days To Lose It! Workout (recurring weekly - $)

Tuesday 2/15 @ 7:30 pm

Featuring a Hustle for Health workout with Thomasenia Johnson of Two Left Feet @ 7:30.  Free for members, $5 for non-members. Purchase 8 sessions and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months FREE! For more information please call (313) 494-5817 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/127-30-days-to-lose-it-workout

 

Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story (film screening)

Wednesday 2/16 @ 6:30 pm

Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story follows the sad and startling story of Cyntoia Brown who is serving a life sentence for murder at the age of 16.  The filmmaker spent nearly six years exploring her life and familial relationships in order to answer a very basic question… why?  This documentary pushes aside assumptions about what we think about violence in her maternal line and a predestined childhood filled with bad decisions.  A panel discussion will follow the screening.  A presentation of the Community Cinema 2010/2011 film series in partnership with Detroit Public Television.  This event is FREE and open to the public. The Black History Month film series is sponsored by Comcast.   http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/130-me-facing-life-cyntoias-story-film-screening

 

Art of the Masters Gallery Talk & Panel Discussion

Thursday 2/17 @ 6 pm

Experience the exhibit, Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980 - 2000, with this engaging evening lecture and panel discussion moderated by museum curator Patrina Chatman with guest panelists Gregory Johnson, Jide Aje, Hugh Grannum, Gilda Snowden, Allie McGhee and Shirley Woodson.  This event is FREE and open to the public.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/133-art-of-the-masters-exhibit-talk-a-panel-discussion

 

Saturday In Blue: a Tribute to Blues Masters Billie, Bessie & Ida (concert)

Saturday 2/19 @ 4 pm

Spend your Saturday afternoon at a fantastic concert tribute to the Masters of the Blues, featuring Detroit's own Thornetta Davis and Memphis' Queen of Beale Street, Ms. Ruby Wilson.  This event is FREE and open to the public. http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/135-saturday-in-blue-a-tribute-to-blues-masters-billie-bessie-a-ida-concert

 

We Remember You: An Afternoon of Poetry with Haki Madhubuti & Sonia Sanchez

Sunday 2/20 @ 4 pm

Join professors and world-renowned poets Dr. Haki R. Madhubuti and Dr. Sonia Sanchez as they celebrate the voices & verses of Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Etheridge Knight, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, Audre Lorde, Zora Neal Hurston & Dudley Randall.  This one-of-a-kind event is FREE and open to the public!  Sponsored by PNC Bank.

http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/136-we-remember-you-an-afternoon-of-poetry-from-haki-madhubuti-a-sonia-sanchez

 

Hustle for History (recurring weekly - $)

Sunday 2/20 from 5 - 7 pm

http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/120-hustle-for-history

 

30 Days To Lose It! Workout (recurring weekly - $)

Tuesday 2/22 @ 7:30 pm

Featuring a Hustle for Health workout with Thomasenia Johnson of Two Left Feet @ 7:30.  Free for members, $5 for non-members. Purchase 8 sessions and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months FREE! For more information please call (313) 494-5817 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/128-30-days-to-lose-it-workout

 

This is My Africa (film screening)

Wednesday 2/23 @ 6:30 pm

An award-winning documentary directed and produced by Zina Saro-Wiwa, this quirky and unique film is a journey into an Africa that many do not know about. Created to reveal a more personal vision of the continent by weaving together the personal memories, tastes and experiences of 21 Africans and Africaphiles, This Is My Africa has been described as a 50-minute crash course in African culture.  A Q&A session will follow the screening.  This event is FREE and open to the public. The Black History Month film series is sponsored by Comcast.    http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/131-this-is-my-africa-film-screening

 

Farafina Kan (African drumming and dance performance - $)

Friday 2/25 @ 7:30 pm

Farafina Kan (literally translated as the sound of Africa) is a Washington D.C.-based professional performing arts company dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the history, integrity and representation of traditional African drumming and dancing. Having been reared and engaged in the West African Performing Arts for the majority of their lives and led by two brothers - Founder and Artistic Director, Mahiri Fadjimba Keita and Managing Director, Diallo Sumbry, Farafina Kan is taking traditional West African drumming and dancing to new heights. Whether performing traditional rhythms, songs and dances; or seamlessly fusing traditional rhythms and songs with contemporary arrangements, Farafina Kan always ROCKS THE HOUSE!  Tickets are $15 / $10 for members and children 12 and under. Sponsored by AARP.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/129-farafina-kan-african-drumming-and-dance-performance

 

Just Like Me & Oscar Micheaux Youth Short Film Festival

Saturday 2/26 @ 12 pm

The culmination of a program of the Charles H. Wright Museum in partnership with VIP Mentoring and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit and funded by the Kresge Foundation, this film festival features short films written and produced by participating teens.  Over the course of the project, participants worked steadily on their very own films.  Come see the movie magic they’ve made!  FREE and open to the public.  http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/138-just-like-me-a-oscar-micheaux-youth-short-film-festival

 

Hustle for History (recurring weekly - $)

Sunday 2/27 from 5 - 7 pm

http://chwmuseum.org/upcoming-events/details/121-hustle-for-history

 

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

315 East Warren Avenue

Detroit, MI 48201

(313) 494-5800

www.CharlesHWrightMuseum.org

HOURS (Open every day of February for Black History Month): Mon - Sat 9 am – 5 pm | Sun 1 – 5 pm

ADMISSION: $8 adults (13 +), $5 seniors (62 +) & youth (3 – 12), free for members & children under 3

Check out this cool video by MetroParent Magazine on their visit to the museum this past Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

UPDATE: Want to compete? THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED! You've got till 5 pm Monday February 21st to enter our call for contestants for the 30 Days to Lose It March weight-loss challenge!

Calling all candidates!  The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is kicking off its second annual 30 Days To Lose It! weight-loss challenge.  The museum is now accepting 3 - 5 minute videos, via YouTube only, from candidates explaining why they should be selected as a weight-loss contestant during the month of March.  All entrants must be women who are at least 18 years old and 30 pounds or more overweight.  Only one submission per entrant will be accepted, and only one entrant will be considered per video submission.  YouTube links for videos should be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, February 15 at 5 pm.  Ten contestants will be selected by a panel of experts that includes:

• Dr. Yvonne Anthony, Director, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion
• Florine Mark, President and CEO, The WW Group
• Dr. Cynthia Taueg, Vice President of Community Health, St. John Health System
• Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Vice President, Community Health, Education and Wellness, Henry Ford Institute Health System

The contestants will be announced at 30 Days To Lose It! on Tuesday, March 1, where the evening of free health screenings, Jazzercise workout and other activities at the Charles H. Wright Museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Detroit, begins at 6 pm.  PLEASE NOTE: submissions will not be accepted that evening.  Candidates must attend March 1st to finalize their participation.  Selected contestants will begin a specialized, weekly regimen with Range of Motion Fitness and Weight Watchers.  The winner of the month-long challenge will receive a 1-year membership at Range of Motion Fitness including online fitness and nutrition tracking programs; a 12-week pass to a local Weight Watchers meeting; free attendance to a 2nd Saturday Wellness Workshop by Dr. Velonda Thompson of Be-Fit Inc.; Jafra beauty products; Workout & Worship book and DVD by Lazet Michaels Boatman, CEO of Life Center Private Fitness Facility; and a $25 gift certificate to the Charles H. Wright Museum store.
For more information, please contact 30 Days To Lose It! program coordinator Angela G. King at (313) 494-5817, or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Good luck!!!

The start of a new year is upon us, and with it, the hope and promise of great things to come.  This is true in each of our lives, and for our museum as well.  We are entering our busiest time of the year, with MLK Day and Black History Month, and 2011 promises to build upon the legacy of entertaining, educational and thought-provoking exhibitions and event programming The Wright Museum is well known for.

2011 MLK Day
This year marks the 25th national observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and to commemorate this milestone the museum has something for everyone.  Our annual Breakfast Celebration is a rousing way to start the day, and with great food in the Ford Freedom Rotunda, guest speaker Rev. Dr. Byron C. Moore of Historic Ebenezer A.M.E. Church of Detroit, music by Armond with Chris Jones and performances by the Plymouth Revelation Dancers, you’ll end the morning with body, mind and spirit filled to the brim!  The day itself will again feature a full array of film screenings, theatrical performances, workshops and activities for the whole family, so do please join us.

Exhibitions
Additionally, the next three months include three new exhibitions to complement our newest Contemporary Artist Exhibit, Framed Stories: The Art of Carmen Cartiness Johnson and Jerome Wright, which opened in December.

Local favorite Gale Fulton Ross will be featured in Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise: An Artist’s Journey, which opens on MLK Day.  Equally exciting is the opportunity to partner with artist Tyree Guyton and the Heidelberg Project to celebrate its 25th anniversary with the exhibit, The Heidelberg Project: Art, Energy and Community, which opens February 1. Finally, we’re pleased to host The Chris Webber Collection: Exceptional People During Extraordinary Times, 1755 - Present, an exhibit featuring the collection of the retired NBA star, philanthropist and collector.  It includes artifacts from Phillis Wheatley, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and others and opens March 11.  Mr. Webber initially collected these items for his own personal inspiration, but soon realized their potential to educate and inspire others, so we’re proud to be partnering with him to bring their history to a wider audience.

A Little of This...
... a little of that: who says you can’t sample from the wide array of events taking place at the museum?  From our weekly Hustle for History dance lessons and 30 Days to Lose It! health screenings, seminars and workouts, to concerts, plays, films, dinners, parties, lectures and workshops, there’s always something taking place here.  And the best way to enjoy it all is to become a member.   Most events are discounted or free for members, and with free general admission you can take it all in at your own pace.  If you’re already a member, please consider gift memberships for family and friends.  I can guarantee there will be enough taking place these next few months to fill anyone’s docket!   Plus you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are continuing to support the museum’s work of exploring and presenting African American history and culture and serving the community in which we’re based.

Membership is the lifeblood of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, so we thank each and every one of you, and encourage all of our friends and visitors to join.  What better way to start the New Year than with a resolution to continue your support and make the museum a regular entry on your own personal events calendar?

Dear Friends:

This year marks the 45th year of existence for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and we’re pleased to report that the institution, the world’s largest of its kind, is more robust than ever.  Highlights from the past year include:

• Partnering with over 90 organizations, including the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Arab American National Museum, and Wayne State University, to present a diverse array of programming
• Offering over 150 educational and public programs
• Presentation of the Smithsonian’s Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment and the National Conference of Artist’s Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980 – 2000 traveling exhibitions
• Organization of the Crowning Glories: Status, Style and Self-Expression exhibition as well as 5 contemporary artist exhibits
• A complete redesign of the museum’s website and expansion into the social media realm, including a Facebook fan page which has grown to over 10,000 fans in less than 12 months
• National media attention from NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and BET.com
• Hosting performances by national and international artists such as Third World, Nikki Giovanni, Daniel Beaty, K’Jon, Kindred the Family Soul, and Sarah Jones
• Esteemed visitors, including former President Chissano of Mozambique, actor/writer/director/producer Glynn Turman, musical artist and entrepreneur Usher, and most importantly, each and every one of our members and supporters from the general public.

Additionally, we were proud to be chosen as the location for one of Mayor Dave Bing’s Detroit Works Project town hall meetings, and for the Living Cities Foundation, a consortium of 21 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions, to announce 17 million dollars in investment being made available to Midtown Detroit.  Events such as these underscore the importance of this museum not just as a major cultural institution, but also a center of community in this great city.

In these challenging times, we continue to make the adjustments necessary to be economically sustainable.  However, the museum cannot be judged by a balance sheet alone.  We must be “in the black” and have an impact – these two are not mutually exclusive, and indeed must be mutually intertwined: to create the sustainability necessary we must engage and inform on an exponential level.  Our mission to educate is sacred; there is no question about that.  However, everything else must be open to discussion.  Our service to the community is at the core of what we do.  We’ll continue to look for new and innovative ways to partner with others to expand our collective reach and further our aim of celebrating African American history and culture.

The “great recession” has confronted us all with the need to reset, at the organizational, city, state and national levels.  History confirms that we are innovators, and we must draw from that strength, now more than ever.  We need everyone at the table bringing all that they have – money, time, talents and strategic thinking.  Every generation must come with their best, and with that, we’ll not just get by, we will succeed and prosper.  

This is the mindset that will help us not only face but overcome the present adversity, just as our ancestors and elders did with prior, seemingly insurmountable challenges.  We can draw strength from that history that is all of ours, and recognize the amazing resiliency that has allowed African Americans to overcome slavery, racism and disenfranchisement and reach the corridors of power and the highest office in the land.  The toughness that is needed now is the grit that is woven into the fabric of this great city, of this country, and in African American culture.  And it is not just this institution or the African American community that needs it – it is all of us, this entire nation. It is in these times that the voices of history in this museum can help each of us find that strength and resiliency to overcome our present circumstances.  The stories that come out of here, as well as enter with each of our visitors, are the keys to unlocking our inherent greatness.  More than ever, we need to look in that mirror of self-reflection and know, at the deepest levels of our being and as a core of confidence, that “we still got it.”

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Very truly yours,

Elizabeth (“Betty”) Brooks
Chairperson, Board of Trustees

Juanita Moore
President & CEO

Title: Eddie Tolan's 1926 Cass Tech Track Team
Year: 1926
Collection: Eddie Tolan Collection

This may just appear to be a photo of the 1926 Cass Tech Track Team, but it is actually much more than that. This is a photo from the Eddie Tolan Collection. Eddie 'The Midnight Express' Tolan is a member of the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame who was inducted in 1982. In the photo he is in the first row, second from the left. Eddie moved to Detroit when he was fifteen years old. His track and field triumphs at Cass Tech would take him to the University of Michigan, where he earned a scholarship and his undergraduate degree. From 1929-1932 Tolan held the world record in the 100-yard dash. He went on to win the 1931 national collegiate 220-yard title as well as four National AAU sprint titles. At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Tolan won gold medals in the 100 and 200-yard dashes. Over his sprinting career Tolan would win 300 races and only lose 7. In 1956, Tolan became a teacher in physical and health education at Irving Elementary School on Detroit's west side. Eddie Tolan passed away in 1967 of kidney failure.  Several of his items were donated to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, including medals and a pair of his track shoes, which are on display in the Black Bottom barbershop portion of the And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture exhibit.

Information from the USA Track and Field HOF and Jet Magazine.  Photograph courtesy of the Collections and Exhibitions department of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (http://chwmuseum.org).  Research, caption and scanning by Derek Thomas Sojda.  For more information, please contact the Louise Lovett Wright Library and Robert L. Hurst Research Center at (313) 494-5840 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For this and other informative posts, please visit http://chwmuseum.org/explore/blog.html.