The Wright Museum wrapped up an incredibly busy first three months of 2013, celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month (see our event pictures inside… perhaps you’re in one!). In addition to the plethora of historically important individuals and events included in these months, it’s significant to note the confluence of several major anniversaries and events taking place this very year: the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the second inauguration of the nation’s first African American president, Barack Obama, and the commemoration of Rosa Parks’ 100th birthday.

We were honored to host an enormously well received reception at the museum on February 4 for the new, commemorative stamp in honor of Rosa Parks’ 100th birthday. And thanks to Elaine Steele, I was able to attend the historical unveiling of the Rosa Parks statue in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. The unveiling revealed a 9-foot-tall, 2,700-pound bronze statue with a granite base showing Mrs. Parks sitting, her legs crossed, her hands folded, a purse dangling from her fingers, and with a look of quiet determination behind her glasses.

The ceremony fittingly brought together President Obama and both Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to honor the legacy of Mrs. Parks. It was beautiful and moving for all in attendance, but particularly so for the rather large Detroit contingent present. Rosa Parks, after her death in Detroit, was the first woman to lie in state in the Capitol. Now, the mother of the modern civil rights movement becomes the first African-American woman to receive a full-size statue in the Capitol collection.

As we look back on the events of these past three months, it is fitting that we remember Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the father of African American History. The lectures, the scholars, the exhibitions, the publications, the performances, the workshops, and the artists all fit in his vision of the importance of telling our story. He said, “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” This son of former slaves, who attended Berea College in Kentucky, received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1912, Dr. Woodson understood the importance of teaching, learning and sharing history – and that the African American story was a part of a much larger narrative.

So, as Carter G. Woodson and Rosa Parks would have, we invite you to visit us, in-person, and even online on our website and Facebook page, which recently added its 21,000th fan. It’s where visitors enjoy daily Black history facts, photos, and most recently, live video streams of museum events (videos of several recent events can be found in our website’s event archives). As we like to say, history lives year-round at The Wright Museum - come share it with us!

Samuel A. Hodge
Samuel Hodge, the artist and creator of the Stories in Stained Glass series ensconced in the corridor encircling the Ford Freedom Rotunda, died on January 11, and was interned in his adopted home of Spartanburg, South Carolina, on January 19. He was a sociologist, educator, funeral director, and self-trained artist whose great love and appreciation for the museum was well known. His works can be found in many private collections, in Detroit, and around the country. We are saddened by his passing, but also grateful and honored that his works, whose vivid shapes and luminous colors illuminate important facets of the African American experience, live at The Wright Museum. We will miss him.

Click here to download our April 2013 Member Newsletter

SPECIAL EVENTS

Harriet’s Return: The Play ($)
Saturday 3/9 at 7:30 pm
“Harriet’s Return” is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed theatrical production that chronicles the private and public life of famed Underground Railroad conductor, spiritual icon, and revolutionary Harriet Tubman, performed on the 100th anniversary of her death. Through a deeply personal and high energy approach, producer and actress Karen Jones Meadows chronicles Tubman from childhood to afterlife, a nine decade journey that still influences the consciousness of people around the world. Portrayals of more than 30 colorful characters take the audience from contemporary America into the depths of Ms. Tubman’s soul, the psyche of a nation, and a call to action. Tickets are $20 general admission / $10 for museum members. Purchase by phone at (800) 838-3006 or online at www.TheWright.org. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/652-harriets-return-the-play

Women in the NAACP: A Historic Dialogue
Sunday 3/10 at 4 pm
Discover the contributions women have made to the struggle for civil rights, featuring a talk by Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, the first and only female Executive Director of the Detroit Branch NAACP. Other panelists include Yvonne White, President of the Michigan State Conference NAACP; Monica Anthony, Chair of the Detroit Branch Women in the NAACP (W.I.N.) Committee; and Kamilia Landrum, Chair of the Detroit Branch Young Adult Committee and Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors. This event is produced in tandem with the exhibition, A Very Present Force: Celebrating a Century of the Detroit Branch NAACP, on display now through March 24, 2013. Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/657-women-in-the-naacp-a-historic-dialogue

Spelman College Glee Club Concert: A Choice to Change the World
Sunday 3/10 at 6 pm
Let your spirit be lifted at this very special concert by the Glee Club of the historically-black, all-women's Spelman College as they perform musical selections to help "Change the World!" This event is free and open to the public. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/658-spelman-college-glee-club-concert-a-choice-to-change-the-world

Black Marriage Day ($)
Saturday 3/16 from 11 am - 8 pm
Joining city halls, community centers, houses of worship and other institutions in 300 communities nationwide, The Wright Museum and Marriage Resource Center are joining forces to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Black Marriage Day. This national initiative encourages African Americans to embrace an institution that has long been on the decline by highlighting the deep-rooted historical role marriage has played among African Americans. Black Marriage Day is open to married couples, as well as those who are engaged, seriously dating or looking to get married. Tickets are $50 per couple in advance, $55 the day of the event and can be purchased by phone at (800)-838-3006 or online at www.TheWright.org.
http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/634-black-marriage-day-2013

Black Women Rock: The Diaspora ($)
Concert: Saturday 3/16 at 7 pm
Artist Discussion: Sunday 3/17 at 1:30 pm
The Wright Museum presents jessica Care moore's Black Women Rock: The Diaspora!, a live music concert and artist talk featuring Ursula Rucker, Dionne Farris, Canadian rocker Saidah Baba Talibah (http://youtu.be/oNcxCrOgOM4, http://sbtmusic.com/), the Appalachian Goddess Martha Redbone (http://www.martharedbone.com), Steffanie Christi'an, the Black Women Rock Orchestra under the direction of Norma Jean Bell, sounds by DJ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, live art by Sabrina Nelson and the BWR STARtists, and more! General Admission tickets are $25 and include donation for Sunday's "They Say I'm Different" artist talk with a book signing by Laina Dawes, author of "What Are You Doing Here? A Black Woman's Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal." For THREE STRAIGHT YEARS the concerts have been sell-outs; order tickets today by phone at (800)-838-3006 or online at www.TheWright.org. Due to the powerful voices and mature themes of this performance, parental guidance is recommended; some content may not be suitable for young children. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/638-black-women-rock-the-diaspora-concert

Tea Time: A Holistic Approach to Mothering
Saturday 3/30 at 1 pm
Calling all mothers! Join us for yoga demonstrations, breast-feeding empowerment, career building strategies, and presentations by local organizations over an assortment of tea. This event is not to be missed! Children are welcome. Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/663-tea-time-a-holistic-approach-to-mothering

FAMILY

Charter One Free Family Second Sunday
Sunday 3/10 from 1 - 5 pm
Bring the whole family to Rejoice, Relive & Reconnect at The Wright Museum with free admission every second Sunday of the month courtesy of Charter One Bank! For Women's History Month, enjoy the Don Barden Foundation Interactive Storytime at 2 pm, Women in the NAACP: A Historic Dialogue at 4 pm, and a very special concert at 6 pm by the Spelman College Glee Club! Free Family Second Sundays are supported by the Charter One Foundation. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/578-charter-one-free-family-second-sunday

Don Barden Foundation Interactive Storytime
Sunday 3/10 at 2 pm
Where music, movement, and literacy collide, this interactive story performance will put your kids in the story! Made possible by support from the Don Barden Foundation. Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/653-don-barden-foundation-interactive-storytime

Meet the Scientist Saturday
Saturday 3/16 at 11 am
Discover and explore science with activities led by scientists and technologists from the new Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology exhibit!  Free with museum admission. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/611-meet-the-scientist-saturday

FILM

Community Cinema Presents Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Screening & Discussion
Thursday 3/7 at 6 pm
Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines traces the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman. From the birth of the comic book superheroine in the 1940s to the blockbusters of today, popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about women’s liberation. Go behind the scenes with Lynda Carter, Lindsay Wagner, comic writers and artists, and feminist figures such as Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Hanna and others, who offer a counterpoint to the male-dominated superhero genre. Free.
http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/597-community-cinema-presents-qwonder-womenq-film-screening-a-discussion

Liberation Film Series Presents Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man Screening & Discussion
Saturday 3/16 from 2 - 6 pm
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Liberation Film Series presents a free screening of "Thomas Sankara - The Upright Man," followed by the discussion, "African Liberation Leadership in an Era of Neoliberalism," with Dr. Rita Kiki (Nkiru) Edozie, Director of African American and African Studies, Michigan State University, and Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor of the Pan-African News Wire. Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/513-liberation-film-series-presents-qthomas-sankara-the-upright-manq-film-screening-a-discussion

HEALTH & WELLNESS

30 Days To Lose It! Weekly Workouts ($)
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm [NOTE: no class on 3/19]
Ramp it up this Women's History Month with a weekly jazzercise workout led by Sondra Jackson of Spirit of the Moment! Free for Museum members, $5 for non-members. Attend 8 consecutive sessions and receive a complimentary museum membership, making your next 12 months FREE! For more information please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  
http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/618-30-days-to-lose-it-weekly-workout

Hustle for History Weekly Dance Lessons ($)
Sundays at 5 pm [NOTE: no class on 3/10 or 3/31]
Get your groove on with our weekly hustle dance lessons taught by instructor Thomasenia Johnson of Two Left Feet.  Work your muscles, strengthen your bones and have a ball while supporting the Museum's ongoing membership efforts - this activity is great for all ages!  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://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/592-hustle-for-history-weekly-dance-lessons

LECTURES

The Wealth Choice: Success Secrets of Black Millionaires Lecture & Book Signing
Thursday 3/14 at 6 pm
Author Dennis Kimbro discusses the keys to building wealth and will be signing copies of his latest book, "The Wealth Choice: Success Secrets of Black Millionaires." Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/659-wealth-choice-success-secrets-of-black-millionaires-lecture-a-book-signing

Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) Monthly Meeting
Sunday 3/10 at 3 pm
If you are interested in and passionate about Black history, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) Detroit branch is the group for you!  The ASALH collects materials on Black history and promotes the results to the public through events and organizational activities; members represent a broad spectrum of academic preparations, career experiences, and interests.  If you are interested in learning more about ASALH Detroit please contact Ms. Kathie House, Coordinator for the organizing ASALH Detroit Branch at (313) 549-0335 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Mr. Tyrone Davenport, Chief Operating Officer at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, at (313) 494-5884 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Free.  http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/613-association-for-the-study-of-african-american-life-a-history-asalh-monthly-meeting

Shirley Woodson Explores Painting Traditions in Detroit: Influences and Interpretation
Tuesday 3/26 at 6 pm
Famed artist, art historian and educator Shirley Woodson addresses the importance of painting traditions in Detroit from the late fifties to present. Woodson's works are in public and private collections including the Detroit Institute of Arts; The Studio Museum in Harlem, NY; The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History; The Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Boston, MA; Florida A&M University; Wayne State University; United American Health Care, Detroit, MI; Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, PA; and the Brandywine Printmaking Workshop in Philadelphia. Free. http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/661-shirley-woodson-explores-painting-traditions-in-detroit-influences-and-interpretation

Women's History Month Panel Discussion
Thursday 3/28 at 6 pm
To mark Women’s History Month, fascinating role-models Kathleen Talbert-Hill, Jandava Cattron-Colscott, and Dr. Cledie Taylor reflect on gender and their personal histories. Free.
http://thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/662-womens-history-month-panel-discussion

EXHIBITIONS

And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture
Permanent Exhibition
The core experience of The Wright Museum, this 22,000 square-foot exhibition takes visitors through time and across geographic boundaries from prehistoric Africa all the way to modern-day Detroit. Throughout, the efforts of everyday men and women who built families, businesses, educational institutions, spiritual traditions, civic organizations and a legacy of freedom and justice are hailed. Free with museum admission. http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/37-and-still-we-rise

Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology
New Permanent Exhibition
This high-tech exhibit highlights trailblazers, contemporaries and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). African Americans have contributed to the scientific and engineering output of the United States since the 17th century, and this history is brought to life through interactive computer kiosks, a touchscreen video wall, and hands-on activities and play areas. Four disciplines of scientific advancement are explored: Physical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, and Technology & Engineering. Within these, Inspiring Minds introduces individuals from across the spectrum of fields, levels of renown, and from times past and present, with particular focuses on African American women in science, black aviators, black inventors, medical ethics, and key historical figures such as George Washington Carver. Free with museum admission.
http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/635-inspiring-minds-african-americans-in-science-and-technology

Visions of Our 44th President
Through August 4, 2013
This collective conceptual art exhibit was created to honor and celebrate the significance of the first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama. Forty-four busts were created from a model that served as a blank canvas, giving each of forty-four contemporary artists from across the country - including Tyree Guyton, Gale Fulton Ross, Faith Ringgold, and Kadir Nelson - free reign to creatively interpret this milestone in American history. Visions of Our 44th President will be The Wright Museum’s first national traveling exhibition. Guest curated by Ashley Whitfield. Free with museum admission.
http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/623-visions-of-our-44th-president

Moving to His Own Beat Fela: The Man, The Movement, The Music
Through March 17, 2013
Created in partnership with Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Fela celebrates the life and music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, a dynamic figure who transcended the boundaries of political expectation and culturally coerced standards of morality. Fela's undying passion for African peoples, understanding of the power of art and politics, and unyielding struggle against the colonial forces in Nigeria during the 1950s and 1960s, solidified his legacy as a shimmering agent of change against the status quo. Always pushing the envelope, Fela infused traditional African highlife music with classical jazz and funk, which evolved into a unique sound that he called, “Afrobeat.” The powerful music and social commentary found throughout his vast catalogue of recordings is indicative of his desire to help end oppression among African peoples everywhere. Free with museum admission.  http://www.thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/577-moving-to-his-own-beat-fela-the-man-the-movement-the-music

The Chris Webber Collection: Exceptional People During Extraordinary Times, 1755 - Present
Through March 31, 2013
Chris Webber, Detroit native, National Basketball Association All-Star player (retired) and NBA announcer, collects rare artifacts that illuminate the lives and legacies of African American greats such as Phillis Wheatley, the first African American author; Rosa Parks, mother of the modern civil rights movement; civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others.  Viewers get a glimpse of their heritage and learn about a different facet of Chris Webber, basketball player, philanthropist, and collector of African American history. Free with museum admission. http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/125-the-chris-webber-collection-exceptional-people-during-extraordinary-times-1755-present

A Very Present Force: Celebrating a Century of the Detroit Branch NAACP
Through March 24, 2013  
Since its formation in 1912 - only three years after the founding of the national association - the Detroit Branch NAACP has been on the frontlines of civil rights activism and advocacy, both locally and throughout the nation. Organized into three sections, A Very Present Force explores the Detroit Branch NAACP’s rich local history while situating it within the broader national and international struggle for civil rights. Free with museum admission.
http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/633-a-very-present-force-celebrating-a-century-of-the-detroit-branch-naacp

Pathways to Freedom in the Americas: Shared experiences between Michigan & Mexico
Through March 31, 2013
Inspired by the meeting of two women who became fast friends - Patricia Ann Talley, an African American from the United States of America, and Candelaria Donají Méndez Tello, an Afro-Mexican from Mexico (the United Mexican States), this exhibit presents the symbiotic relationship that has existed between Americans and Mexicans but has seldom been told.  Divided into three sections, the exhibition uses video, maps, photographs, art, and music to depict a different aspect of slavery in the Americas, the story of fugitives that escaped slavery in the United States on the Underground Railroad south to Mexico, African heritage as it continues to permeate Mexican culture - especially in the Costa Chica Region of Guerrero, the migration of Mexicans to Michigan and the culture as it has manifested in Southwest Detroit. Free with museum admission.
http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/634-pathways-to-freedom-in-the-americas-shared-experiences-between-michigan-and-mexico

Size Matters: Large-Scale Paintings from the Collections of the Charles H. Wright Museum
Through March 31, 2013
Size Matters presents fifteen contemporary large-scale paintings by twelve artists from diverse genres. The title is a double entendre that suggests two meanings: the significance of size and the problems associated with it. Featuring works by Jerome Wright, Annie Lee, Carl Owens, and Dwight Smith. Free with museum admission.
http://thewright.org/explore/exhibitions/638-size-matters-large-scale-paintings-from-the-collections-of-the-charles-h-wright-museum

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
315 East Warren Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 494-5800
The Wright Museum™ | TheWright.org

Hours
Tuesday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm | Sundays 1 – 5 pm

Admission
Adults (13+) $8 | Seniors (62+) & Youth (3 - 12) $5 | Members and children under 3 FREE

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History’s Liberation Film Series continues with a free screening of “W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices” Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 2 pm in the museum’s General Motors Theater.  Following the film will be a discussion entitled, “America’s Most Important, Yet Unknown Intellectual-Activist," with Dr. William L. Strickland, Associate Professor, Department of Afro-American Studies, College of Humanities and Fine Arts of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst, and Director of the Du Bois Papers Collection.

Du Bois was the consummate scholar-activist whose path-breaking works remain among the most significant and articulate ever produced on the subject of race.  His contributions and legacy have been so far-reaching, that this, his first film biography, required the collaboration of four prominent African American writers. Wesley Brown, Thulani Davis, Toni Cade Bambara and Amiri Baraka narrate successive periods of Du Bois' life and discuss its impact on their work. “W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices” was directed by Louis Massiah.

William (Bill) Strickland teaches political science in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  Dr. Strickland is also the Director of the Du Bois Papers Collection, located at the University of Massachusetts Library; a founding member of the independent black think tank, the Institute of the Black World, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia; and Executive Director of the Northern Student Movement.  He was a consultant to both series of the prize-winning documentary on the civil rights movement, "Eyes on the Prize," and the senior consultant on the PBS documentary, "Malcolm X: Make It Plain."  A friend of Malcolm X, Dr. Strickland wrote the companion book of the same name.  Most recently, he was a consultant on "W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography in Four Voices."  Dr. Strickland’s essay "W.E.B. Du Bois: The Prime Minister of the State We Never Had" was published in the Black Political Science Journal in February 2012.

The National Council of Black Studies (NCBS) recently awarded a $5,000 Community Grant to Michigan State University, an NCBS member, under the direction of Dr. Rita Kiki Edozie, Director of its African and African American Studies Department and Chief Investigator, and Charles Ezra Ferrell, Co-investigator, on behalf of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History to support the Liberation Film Series. Dr. Strickland principally consulted with Mr. Ferrell, Program Director and Founder of the series, during its genesis.

The Liberation Film Series takes place on a monthly basis at The Wright Museum and features culturally important films followed by discussions led by scholar-activists and/or community activist-leaders.  The critical driving force behind the series is the financial and consultative support of the directors and distinguished professors of Black/Africana studies departments at sponsor universities, business leaders and community activists who have assisted Charles Ezra Ferrell, the series’ founder and program director, in its development.  Sponsors and contributors include Eastern Michigan University, The Media Education Foundation (MEF), Michigan State University, University of Detroit - Mercy, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Michigan - Dearborn, Oakland University, Wayne County Community College District, Wayne State University, Good People Popcorn, Dr. Errol Henderson - Penn State University, and other leading scholars and community activists.

The 2012 - 2013 season of the Liberation Film Series runs through June 2013, and is free and open to the public.  For more information, including the complete series schedule and respective speaker profiles, discussion topics, trailers, reading lists, supplemental educational links, and statements of endorsement, please visit www.TheWright.org/liberation, or call (313) 494-5820.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History presents the 13th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Breakfast on Monday, January 21, 2013 beginning at 8 am.  The breakfast sets the stage for a full day of activities honoring Dr. King and his legacy at the museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center, on its most popular day of the year.

Hosted by the Women’s and Friends’ Committees of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the breakfast, an annual fundraiser for the museum and its ongoing educational programming, features an interfaith panel comprised of Pastor Jamie Kjos, Brightmoor Christian Church; Imad Hamad, President/CEO ACCHR; Rabbi Simcha Tolwin, Aish Hatorah of Detroit; and Pastor Robert L. Harris, St. Paul Church of God In Christ.  Also included will be an invocation by Rev. Dr. Georgia Hill of Plymouth United Church of Christ, and performances by singer Armond and the Institute of Music & Dance at Marygrove College.

The Wright Museum opens to the public at 9 am with a full day of activities, and will remain open until 7 pm.  The day’s schedule includes:
·       9 am: Museum opens to the general public
·       11 am – 3 pm: Freedom On My Mind children’s workshops and craft-making
·       1:30 pm & 3 pm: Music of the Movement concert performances
·       2 pm: This Little Light of Mine children’s storytelling
·       2 pm – 4 pm: Henry Ford Health System presents Ask the Doctor health screenings
·       3 pm: A King Among Us video tribute to Dr. King

Additionally, visitors will be able to view the Table of Brotherhood, on loan from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., National Memorial in Washington D.C. and signed by luminaries such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Spike Lee; and an official maquette (scale model) of the MLK National Memorial.  The museum will also have a live video stream of the Presidential Inauguration, taking place for the first time on MLK Day, in the General Motors Theater.

Tickets for the Commemorative Breakfast are $35 and can be purchased online at www.TheWright.org, by calling (800) 838-3006, or at the museum during normal business hours.  Discounted group tickets are available for $30 each when purchased in groups of 10; please call or visit the museum for group discounts.  Tickets include admission to all MLK Day activities at the museum.  Doors open at 7 am and breakfast will be served promptly at 8 am in the Museum’s Ford Freedom Rotunda.  Valet parking will be available.

MLK Day activities and exhibits are free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13-61), $5 for seniors (62+) and youth ages (3-12), and free for Museum members and children under 3.

Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown 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 TheWright.org.

Inspiring Minds: it’s not just the name of our newest permanent exhibit.  It’s also an extraordinarily apt description of what the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History does, day in and day out, for people of all ages and backgrounds.  Exploring the African American experience through the arts, humanities, law, literacy, science, and health, The Wright Museum provides an array of aesthetic, interpretive, and intellectual opportunities to inspire visitors for a lifetime.

At our 2012 Annual Meeting held on December 6, we took a look back at the many accomplishments of the past year.  These include:

•    Partnering with over 90 organizations including universities, cultural institutions, and the U.S. Department of Education to present an incredible diversity of programming including close to 200 educational and public events
•    Hosting 12 new exhibitions including Visions of Our 44th President, a groundbreaking collaboration with 44 contemporary artists from across the country that will be the Museum’s first national traveling exhibit
•    The Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair, the success of which resulted in the awarding of an endowment by the Knight Foundation to fund this literacy program on an ongoing basis

At 125,000 square feet and with a collection of over 35,000 artifacts, The Wright Museum is the largest museum of African American history in the world.  But our impact goes far beyond our physical footprint.  We provide needed educational opportunities to thousands of children throughout the region, and serve over a half million people per year – locally, nationally, and internationally – through our exhibits, programs, websites, and events such as African World Festival, which celebrated its 30th year in 2012.  For the first time ever, AWF was held on the museum grounds.  

Over the next year, the Inspiring Minds exhibition will show thousands of children that with hard work and the will to succeed, their dreams can be attained.  Perhaps the next big scientific breakthrough in medicine, environmental protection, or consumer technology will find its seed in the galleries of The Wright Museum.

Furthermore, a father may be encouraged by his children to read to them by what they experience in our Children’s Discovery Room.  A graduate student can make a new connection for their thesis in our research library.  And a young couple will start a new life together with vows said under the Ford Freedom Rotunda dome.

These things we do, and will continue to, for children, parents, seniors, performing artists, budding scientists, all people, the rich and the poor – Inspiring Minds, for what comes next, by understanding what came before: fostering context; encouraging contemplation; and enabling creation, understanding, and cooperation.  

As we enter 2013, I want you to think not of what we have done in the past, but what we will do going forward.  How are we helping to foster the rebirth of this great city and region?  And simultaneously, how are we reaching and including those that are barely getting by, who are struggling to survive, so that they may partake in the revitalization all around us?  Detroit cannot be held back, and it can’t leave anyone behind.  It’s obvious that much more needs to be done, and that our reach, the impact of the Museum’s mission of education, must be both deeper and wider.  We need partnerships with the Arab American and Latino communities, with the outer suburbs and inner city organizations, with individuals and entities providing for the educational, health, and spiritual needs of our children and adults.  We’re all moving forward – together – and each and every one of us needs to jump in and play a part.

Dear Friends:

Inspiring Minds: it’s not just the name of our newest permanent exhibit.  It’s also an extraordinarily apt description of what the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History does, day in and day out, for people of all ages and backgrounds.  Exploring the African American experience through the arts, humanities, law, literacy, science and health, The Wright Museum provides an array of aesthetic, interpretive, and intellectual opportunities to inspire visitors for a lifetime.

Over the past year, we have made great strides toward the exciting future to come.  These include:

•    Partnering with over 90 organizations including universities, cultural institutions, and the U.S. Department of Education to present an incredible diversity of programming including close to 200 educational and public events

•    Hosting 12 new exhibitions including Visions of Our 44th President, a groundbreaking collaboration with 44 contemporary artists from across the country that will be the Museum’s first national traveling exhibit

•    Our Camp Africa summer program that served 3,800 Detroit Public Schools students

•    The Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair, the success of which resulted in the awarding of an endowment by the Knight Foundation to fund this literacy program on an ongoing basis

At 125,000 square feet and with a collection of over 35,000 artifacts, The Wright Museum is the largest museum of African American history in the world.  But our impact goes far beyond our physical footprint.  We provide needed educational opportunities to thousands of children throughout the region, and serve over a half million people per year – locally, nationally, and internationally – through our exhibits, programs, websites, and events such as African World Festival, which celebrated its 30th year in 2012.  For the first time ever, AWF was held on the museum grounds.  

The Museum is a vital part of Michigan’s arts and cultural community, which in sum generates more than $2 billion dollars in economic activity annually for the State of Michigan.  We have taken a leadership role in the cultural resurgence of Detroit as a doorway for emerging artists in all disciplines – whether through our Contemporary Artists Program highlighting African American visual artists, or our hundreds of events, the Museum serves as a stage for musicians, dancers, poets, and performers of all cultural backgrounds who are taking the next step in their careers.

Over the next year, the Inspiring Minds exhibition will show thousands of children that with hard work and the will to succeed, their dreams can be attained.  Perhaps the next big scientific breakthrough in medicine, environmental protection, or consumer technology will find its seed in the galleries of The Wright Museum.

Furthermore, a father may be encouraged by his children to read to them by what they experience in our Children’s Discovery Room.  A graduate student can make a new connection for their thesis in our research library.  And a young couple will start a new life together with vows said under the Ford Freedom Rotunda dome.

These things we do, and will continue to, for children, parents, seniors, performing artists, budding scientists, all people, the rich and the poor – Inspiring Minds, for what comes next, by understanding what came before: fostering context; encouraging contemplation; and enabling creation, understanding, and cooperation.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and dedication.

Very truly yours,

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

Juanita Moore
President & CEO

Click here to download the 2012 Annual Report

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History has unveiled its newest permanent exhibit, Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology.  Highlighting trailblazers, contemporaries, and careers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, it is the Museum’s largest long-term installation since the opening of its core exhibit, And Still We Rise, in 2005.

African Americans have contributed to the scientific output of the United States since the 17th century, and this history is brought to life through interactive computer kiosks, a touch screen video wall, and hands-on activities and play areas.  Four disciplines of scientific advancement are explored: Physical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, and Technology & Engineering.  Within these, Inspiring Minds introduces individuals from across the spectrum of fields, levels of renown, and from times past and present, with particular focuses on African American women in science, black aviators, black inventors, medical ethics, and key historical figures such as George Washington Carver. 

“Inspiring Minds fulfills the wishes of the Museum’s founder, Dr. Charles H. Wright, himself a man of science,” says Robert L. Smith, the Museum’s vice president of Education and Exhibitions.  “Dr. Wright wanted children to know the contributions of African American scientists and inventors.  He believed this knowledge would inspire them to see greater possibilities for themselves.  Inspiring Minds promises to have a direct and meaningful impact on children who visit, increasing their appreciation and learning of the STEM fields and the individuals of color behind great inventions and discoveries.”

The mission of this multi-year project is to inspire young people to pursue careers in the STEM fields using the personal stories of historical and contemporary scientists and inventors who have made important contributions to the world.  Designed for K – 8th grade students as well as the general public, Inspiring Minds details the achievements of over 500 African American scientists and technologists.  The exhibit teaches general scientific concepts based on the Michigan Education Standards, and will feature educational programs including daily tours, workshops with contemporary scientists, and a national robotics competition.

The Wright Museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am until 5 pm, and on Sundays from 1 until 5 pm.  Inspiring Minds is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13-61), and $5 for seniors (62+) and youth (3-12).  Admission is free for Museum members and children under 3.  Significant funding for Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology was provided by The Renaissance (MI) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. 

The past two months of September and October, normally our slowest time of the year, have been quite remarkable thanks to the Visions of Our 44th President exhibition, which has attracted attention from near and far.  Fifteen of the participating artists, many of whom traveled from across the country at their own expense, attended an opening reception and artists’ discussion about this fantastic endeavor, which is living up to its billing as, “An exhibition of historic importance.”  We’re proud to host this groundbreaking artistic collaboration through August of 2013.  But please don’t wait to see it - as we expect crowds to swell following the presidential election and into the holiday season.

This month will truly be something special, as we have three new exhibits opening.  Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology, our new, permanent and high-tech exhibition exploring the contributions, past and present, of African Americans to the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, opens Saturday, November 10.  The following week sees the openings of A Very PresentForce: Celebrating a Century of the Detroit Branch NAACP on November 14, and Pathways to Freedom in the Americas: Shared Experiences between Michigan and Mexico on November 15.

In combination with Moving to His Own Beat - Fela: The Man, The Movement, The Music, and the Museum’s central experience, And Still We Rise, November offers an unparalleled array of exhibits spanning art, activism, geography, history, music, science and technology.  Now more than ever, there’s something for everyone at The Wright Museum!

The Love of Literacy Lives On
We are pleased to announce a substantial award of support by the Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.  Due in part to the success of July’s Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair, the Museum has received a $750,000 commitment by the Knight Foundation that will allow us to continue literacy programming on an annual basis.  The award was part of a combined $19.25 million investment in Detroit arts and culture; the other recipient institutions were the Arab American National Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit School of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Opera Theater, and the Sphinx Organization.  We thank the Knight Foundation for their support, on behalf of our partner institutions, and the thousands of children our literacy programming will reach in the years to come.

What an incredible summer we had this year at The Wright Museum! The opening night of the 20th Concert of Colors once again attracted a standing-room only crowd in the General Motors Theater. We honored the 90th birthday of one of Detroit’s own legal legends, Judge Damon J. Keith, and shined a spotlight on literacy at the Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair weekend. The 30th annual African World Festival began a proud, new tradition at the Museum with over 100,000 attendees!  And September was spectacular, with a Grandparents Day celebration of over 2,000 intergenerational participants hosted by the Women’s Committee, the 30 Days To Lose It! season 3 kickoff, and the launch of the monthly Community Cinema and Liberation Film Series programs.  Lastly, the legacy of Museum founder Dr. Charles Wright was honored at the 8th Biennial Legacy Dinner held September 22, an event that sold out 4 weeks prior. Our congratulations and thanks to the Friends Committee for helping keep Dr. Wright’s legacy alive.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History premieres the Visions of Our 44^th President, a sculptural art exhibition on display now through August 2013. Portraying a present-day historical achievement in African American history through contemporary art, including works by Tyree Guyton, Gale Fulton Ross, Faith Ringgold and Kadir Nelson, this groundbreaking exhibit will become The Wright Museum’s first national traveling exhibition.

Visions of Our 44th President was created to honor and celebrate the historical significance of the first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama.  Forty-four busts were created from a model that served as a blank canvas, giving forty-four contemporary artists from across the country free reign to creatively interpret this milestone in American history.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History opens its innovative Liberation Film Series with a free screening of “The Black Power Mixtape 1965-1975” Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 2 pm in its General Motors Theater.  Following the film will be a discussion entitled, “Lessons of the Black Power Movement,” led by Professors Gloria (Aneb) House of the University of Michigan - Dearborn, and Stephen Ward of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

This film, produced by Danny Glover, features rare archival footage, which was hidden for over 30 years, of Angela Davis and Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), among others.  Dr. House asserts, “The first film of this series (is)… an intense retrospective on the Black Power Movement through riveting commentaries by some of its iconic leaders including Angela Davis, Kwame Ture, and Harry Belafonte.  Popular contemporary artists Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and Abiodum Oyiwole of The Last Poets, reflect on the ways their own lives were influenced by these leaders and struggles of the period.  ‘Mixtape’ offers excellent insight to anyone who wishes to understand the groundswell for self-determination among African Americans during this period, 1960-1980.”

The Liberation Film Series takes place on a monthly basis at The Wright Museum.  What makes this program unique is its community engagement component that seeks to involve the youth, high school and university students, and the community at-large, in an engaging post-film “conversation” led by scholar-activists and/or community activist-leaders.  The critical driving force behind the series is the financial and consultative support of the Directors and distinguished professors of Black/Africana studies departments at sponsor universities, business leaders and community activists who have assisted Charles Ezra Ferrell, the series’ originator and Program Director, in its development.  Sponsors and contributors include Eastern Michigan University, The Media Education Foundation (MEF), Michigan State University, University of Detroit - Mercy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Michigan - Dearborn, Oakland University, Wayne County Community College District, Wayne State University, Good People Popcorn, Dr. Errol Henderson - Penn State University, and other leading scholars and community activists.

The 2012 - 2013 season of the Liberation Film Series runs through June 2013, and is free and open to the public.  For more information, including the complete series schedule and respective speaker profiles, discussion topics, trailers, reading lists, supplemental educational links, and insightful statements of endorsement, please visit www.TheWright.org/liberation, or call (313) 494-5820.

Promising to surpass last year’s Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts gala in both style and fundraising substance, the 2012 Wright Benefit Gala, entitled “La Bibliothèque,” takes place Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 pm at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center.  This year’s theme, “For the Love of Literacy,” highlights the Museum’s summer programming and the exhibit, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, currently on display. 

The Gala caps several months of literacy programming centered on the exhibit, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, on loan from the Norman Rockwell Museum.  This included tours and workshops involving the Museum’s recently opened Children’s Discovery Room, a summer camp program with Detroit Public Schools that served 3,800 children, and the Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair that included over 2,000 book giveaways, courtesy of First Book.

“We’ve been thrilled with the response to the Witness exhibit, and the events around it,” says Juanita Moore, President & CEO of The Wright Museum.  “The Gala, and the fantastic sponsors who’ve stepped forward with their support, have made it possible for us to touch thousands of children this summer with the magic of words, imagery and storytelling, which we hope will lead to a lifelong love of reading and literary discovery.”

The gala fundraiser takes place Saturday, September 8, 2012, from 7:30 pm until 1 am.  Promising to be the ultimate club and literary lounge experience, the event includes entertainment, open bar, fine dining, Red Carpet commentary by Taryn Asher of Fox 2 News and Chuck Bennett of The Detroit News, and the Hip Patrons Party, which begins at 9 pm.

The Gala continues the audience outreach that made last year’s 40 Years of Firsts event a major success, raising over $400,000.  Yvette Bing, First Lady of the City of Detroit and member of the Board of Trustees for The Wright Museum, assembled a powerful host committee of influential women who are representative of the diversity and idealism of this outreach effort.  Committee co-chairs include Jo Coleman, Jennifer Fischer, Cynthia Ford, and Kim Reuss; committee members include Betty Brooks, Serena Cockrell, Retha Douglas, Linda Forte, Mary Anne Gargaro, Linda Gillum, Sharon James, Marion Jones, Florine Mark, Vivian Pickard, Glenda Price, Ph.D., Suzanne Shank, Judith Sims, Barbara K. Smith, Ph.D., Dr. Lorna Thomas, and Roberta Hughes Wright Ph.D., widow of Museum founder Dr. Charles H. Wright.

“I was excited that this group of women, who helped make last year’s gala a great success, returned to work with us again this year,” says Yvette Bing, who is again chairing the committee in 2012.  “Last year’s event became the talk of the town, and the 2012 literacy gala, which supports an issue dear to my heart, will be the one event you simply cannot miss.”

Tickets for the Gala start at $250, which includes the Gala and Hip Patrons Party, or $75 each for the Hip Patrons Party, only.  Additionally, a variety of sponsorship opportunities are available.  Complete information and online purchasing are available at www.TheWrightGala.org.  Proceeds from the Gala support the Museum’s ongoing educational programming.

Sponsors of the 2012 Wright Gala: For the Love of Literacy Benefit include Title Presenting Sponsor Ford Motor Company Fund; Presenting Exhibition Sponsor General Motors Foundation; Presenting Gala Sponsors Yvette and Dave Bing, Jo Coleman and The Culinary Studio, Jennifer and David Fischer and The Suburban Collection, Cynthia and Edsel Ford, and Kim and Mark Reuss and General Motors; and Literacy and Education Sponsor Bank of America.

About the exhibition, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney

Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney features over 140 works by Mr. Pinkney, who was recently presented with the prestigious Caldecott Medal, awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children.  The recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in New York, the artist has also served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the National Postal Service’s Citizen Stamp Advisory Council.

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, sponsored locally by the General Motors Foundation, is on display through September 9, 2012, and is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13-61), and $5 for seniors (62+) and youth (3-12).  Admission is free for Museum members and children under 3. The Wright Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am until 5 pm, and on Sundays from 1 until 5 pm.

About The Wright Museum

Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown 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 www.TheWright.org.

Detroit’s largest ethnic festival, presented for the 30^th year by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, establishes a proud new tradition this Friday as it is held on the Museum grounds, surrounding streets and connecting green spaces. The City of Detroit will close adjacent streets to accommodate one of the most widely anticipated events of the summer. Hours for the free festival are Friday, August 17 through Sunday, August 19, from noon - 11:30 p.m. each day. Museum will have extended hours during the festival: 9 am - 8 pm on Friday and Saturday, 1 pm - 5 pm on Sunday. The WSU parking structure on Warren just east of Woodward is available for $5.

The outdoor grounds will feature stages, more than 100 marketplace vendors, crowd-pleasing ethnic foods, visual arts, master crafts exhibitions and live demonstrations. Institutions in the cultural center, including Wayne State University, Midtown Detroit Inc. and the Scarab Club, are cooperating in welcoming the event to the area.

This year’s event showcases the talents of Detroit-based performers with careers that have taken them to the national and international stage Event highlights include:

Friday:

•        Noon opening with ambassadors from both Botswana and Namibia joining invited dignitaries, including members of the Detroit City Council, to open the festival on the African World Stage, behind the museum, on Farnsworth Street.

•        Thunder Drums Tribute, by Griot Assante Kouyate, honoring the 125^th Anniversary of the Birth of theHon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr.  7 p.m.

•        Dance tribute to honor the memories of: Haitian singer/activist Martha Jean-Claude, who exiled to Cuba was known as the “Daughter of Two Islands” ; South African singer/activist Miriam Makeba, known as Mama Africa; and, Nina Simone, African American singer/activist, known as the “High Priestess of Soul.” 8 p.m.

Saturday:

•        Annual “Parade of Nations” featuring the International Caribbean Festival Parade will kick off from WSU at 11 a.m., moving east on Warren and arriving at noon for the day’s opening.

•      Annual AWF Step Show Competition—Featuring representatives from the African-American Greek-letter organizations of the National Pan Hellenic Council. 3 p.m.

•        Detroit Rocks the Runway! Fashion Design+Music+Dance extravaganza: “Hip Hop Gets Cultured”

Sunday:

•        Spirit of the African World: Cardinal Mbiyu, Shrine of the Black Madonna Church; J. Sulli, Christian Rap 1pm

•        Saluting the 1983 Festival Committee: Catherine Blackwell, Edward Vaughn, Shahida Mausi,Audley Smith, Phyllis Sancho, Joe Sancho, Judge Craig Strong, Rep. Nelson Saunders, Sadiq Bey. Honoring Our Ancestors: Dr. Charles Wright; Tribute to Our She-roes & Heroes: JoAnn Watson, 4 p.m.

•        Soul Train Line tribute to Don Cornelius and the Soul Train legacy! 6 p.m.

•        Detroit Reggae All-Stars with Detroit Renegade musicians. 8:30 p.m.

•        Notorius Entertainment, Detroit-based, nationally-performing R&B musicians.10 p.m.

This 30^th anniversary event will also feature:

•        The King Center Imaging Project, courtesy of JP Morgan Chase & Co. has been erected in the Museum’s Ford Freedom Rotunda as is free to the public during the Festival. Other exhibitions include Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, The Chris Webber Collection, and And Still We Rise, all free with Museum admission, which is $8 for adults (13 - 61), and $5 for youth (3 - 12) and seniors (62 +); Museum members and children under 3 are free.

•          Live sculpting of major 30^th Anniversary Commemorative Stone Sculpture. Each day.

•        The accompanying Community Art Project allows visitors, for $5, to decorate a tile that will be placed at the base of the sculpture when it is complete. Each day.

•        Clear Channel Radio Zone with live broadcasts on WMXD Mix 92.3 and FM 98 WJLB. All Day Sat. & Sun.

•        “Good Times” Thelma—BerNadette Stanis with a book signing. All day Saturday & Sunday.

•        Health is Wealth presentations inside the Museum, led by Detroit Wholistic Center. All day Saturday and Sunday.

•        Dance Workshops, Quilt Demonstrations, Head Wrapping Demo, 

•        Watoto Chidren’s Village – Festival of Fun for our Youth: Stage performances, games, prizes and “make & take” fun for children and families. Saturday & Sunday noon – 8 p.m.

•        Exhibits celebrating the best of the festival’s past—an outdoor photo display that creates a timeline and an indoor display of AWF memorabilia and video recordings.

•        The Heritage Works African Folklife Village will present a weekend of traditional crafts demonstrations, African drum and dance performances and audience interactions.

•        Vocalists Thornetta Davis and Monica Blaire in The mastery of Detroit jazz icons Faruq Z. Bey and R&B vocalist Belita Woods, Blues tribute honoring Johnnie Basset. Tribute jam sessions. Saturday 7 p.m.

•        The historic Scarab Club will host an evening of local poets, visual artists and performance artists on Sunday.

•        There will also be informational sessions on issues ranging from community economic development to health, and a full range of entertainment and cultural activities for festival goers of all ages.

The Wright Museum is proud to continue its 30-year legacy of hosting the city’s largest celebration of African culture, made possible by the commitment and perseverance of many civic, business and community leaders championing the significance of such an affirming and uplifting celebration. These partners include Councilwoman JoAnn Watson; Heritage Works Director Rhonda Greene; Detroit Wholistic Center CEO Jesse R. Brown; Detroit Black Community Food Security Network; the Caribbean Cultural & Carnival Organization; the United African Community Organization; as well as the Michigan Chronicle; Michigan Citizen; and the official AWF radio partner, Clear Channel, through their stations WMXD Mix 92.3 and FM 98 WJLB.

For more information the public is asked to visit the Festival website, www.AWFDetroit.com, call the Festival office at 313 / 494.5824 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For media inquiries only, please contact Alicia Nails at 313 / 613.8369 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In association with the presentation of the exhibit, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History proudly presents the Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair featuring the critically and popularly acclaimed illustrator, his wife and noted storyteller and writer Gloria Jean Pinkney, performances by area dance companies, and over 2,200 book giveaways.  This free, family-friendly literary and performing arts extravaganza takes place Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, at the Museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit.

“Jerry Pinkney is the master of the American picture book,” says Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies curator Dr. Joyce K. Schiller.  Adds Juanita Moore, President & CEO of The Wright Museum, “We’re delighted with the Witness exhibit, and based upon audience response, the public is as well.  So we are thrilled to host Mr. Pinkney, and with the planned activities, fully expect the stories to jump off the pages and into the hearts and minds of children of all ages.”

Mr. Pinkney, who has illustrated over one hundred children’s books that have been translated into sixteen languages and published in fourteen countries, will be on-hand for both days of the Children’s Book Fair, leading discussions and workshops.  The schedule of events includes:

Saturday, July 28 (Museum hours: 9 am – 5 pm)

10:00 am Gallery Talk with Jerry Pinkney in the Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney exhibit

11:00 am Living Arts Detroit (performance)

11:30 am Detroit Windsor Dance Company featuring Miss Black Michigan Alescia Hollowell

12:00 pm Thiosane Performing Arts Company of Nsoroma Institute

1:00 pm Storytelling with Gloria Jean Pinkney

1:45 pm Gallery Talk with Jerry Pinkney in the Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney exhibit

3:30 pm Storytelling with Gloria Jean Pinkney

Face painting by Sandra Epps begins at 11 am.  Children’s workshops take place every hour from 10 am – 4 pm.  Jerry Pinkney will be signing books throughout the day.

Sunday, July 29 (Museum hours: 1 pm – 5 pm)

1 – 3 pm Jerry Pinkney Meet and Greet and Book Signing

1 – 5 pm Face painting & children’s workshops

3:00 pm Thiosane Performing Arts Company of Nsoroma Institute

Also on-site will be a number of noted local children’s book authors, including Andre Batts, Ronnie Boggess, Karen Dabney, Anita Gibbs, Phyllis Gilmore, and David Watkins.  Over 2,200 books giveaways will take place, courtesy of First Book.  The above activities, with the exception of the Gallery Talks in the Witness exhibit, are free and open to the public.  The Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney exhibition is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13-61), and $5 for seniors (62+) and youth (3-12).  Admission is free for Museum members and children under 3.

The Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair is a part of The Wright Museum’s summer literacy programming and is made possible by the generous support of Ford Motor Company and the General Motors Foundation.  These and other community and corporate partners have come together to support the Museum and its 2012 annual benefit, also known as The Wright Gala, with the theme, For The Love of Literacy, taking place Saturday, September 8, 2012.  To learn more, please visit www.TheWrightGala.org.

About the exhibition, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney

Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney features over 140 works by Mr. Pinkney, who was recently presented with the prestigious Caldecott Medal, awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children that year.  The recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in New York, the artist has also served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the National Postal Service’s Citizen Stamp Advisory Council.  Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney is on display through September 9, 2012.

About the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown 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 www.TheWright.org.

It’s our pleasure to announce that the 30^th annual African World Festival is coming home to the Museum that birthed it: the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History! This August 17 through 19, attendees will experience a proud, new tradition – the color, vibrancy, and cultural pride of AWF, all on our very own doorstep.

The decision to move the Festival was not made lightly. A major factor was that Hart Plaza simply could not provide some of the necessary amenities it had in the past. We are confident that we made the right move; after all, for many years Midtown Detroit has been home for traditions such as Noel Night, Dally in the Alley, and the Festival of the Arts. In fact, Midtown’s long history of supporting successful events is matched in this case with the expertise of AWF director Njia Kai, who’s worked on many of Midtown’s events as well as others throughout the City.

More importantly, though, the move allows us to easily overcome one of our previous marketing challenges – connecting African World Festival with The Wright Museum in the minds of festival attendees. This year, there will be no mistaking the connection, as the cultural celebration extends outwards from the Museum to the surrounding area. Stay tuned for updates on the 30^th annual African World Festival – a proud, new tradition in Midtown Detroit!

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney

We’re delighted with our newest exhibition, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum and featuring over 140 works by this critically and popularly acclaimed illustrator of children’s books. His imaginative watercolors come alive, on the walls, in strategically placed storybooks, and in animated format on iPads integrated into the exhibit. The stories themselves will jump off the pages and into the hearts and minds of children of all ages this July at the Jerry Pinkney Celebrity Children’s Book Fair. On Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, Mr. Pinkney, his wife and noted storyteller and writer Gloria Jean Pinkney, and other authors will be showcased at this fun-filled event featuring arts and crafts, book giveaways, appearances by characters from the stories themselves, and so much more! It will be a fabulous chance to meet and hear from Jerry Pinkney, experience the Children’s Discovery Room, and most importantly, instill a love for the written word in young and old alike.

DIVE IN!

As you may have heard, needed operational support from the City of Detroit continues to be diminished for The Wright Museum (which is, in fact, city-owned) and other deserving cultural institutions. It is during these tough times that everyone is called upon to help secure the future of this museum – a place that sparks creativity in the minds of our children and helps us reconnect with a pride and legacy that has sometimes been forgotten.  

We appreciate how many of you have stepped up to support the work of the Museum. We thank Jon Barfield and Vivian Carpenter, who recently hosted a fundraiser that raised $100,000. We appreciate their leadership, and are grateful to everyone who supported the event.

We ask that you think about what you can do to help the Museum to fulfill its mission and service to the Community – and we will work to insure that the service we provide is, and will continue to be, worthy of that support. From upcoming exhibits such as Visions of Our 44^th President and Inspired Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology, to programs like the Financial Literacy Project and Camp Africa summer camps, to the ongoing Voices of the Civil War online video series, our work continues undaunted, and unabated.

The Museum is an oasis in the sweltering summer of our hectic, everyday lives. Whether visiting and attending events, volunteering, or becoming a member or donor, there are many ways, and so many more reasons, to “dive in!” Talk to us about how you can be a part of the mission and magic that is the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

A Proud New Tradition as 30th Anniversary African World Festival

moves to the grounds of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Friday, August 17 – Sunday, August 19

DETROIT, June 26, 2012 – Detroit’s largest ethnic festival, presented for the 30^th year by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, establishes a proud new tradition by being held on the museum grounds, surrounding streets and connecting green spaces. The City of Detroit will close adjacent streets to accommodate one of the most widely anticipated events of the summer. Hours for the free festival are Friday, August 17 through Sunday, August 19, from noon - 11:30 p.m. each day.

The museum building will be open for special and ticketed events. The outdoor festival grounds will feature four outdoor stages, more than 100 marketplace vendors, a crowd-pleasing variety of ethnic foods, visual arts, master crafts exhibitions and live demonstrations. Vendor applications are available on www.AWFDetroit.com. Institutions in the cultural center, including Wayne State University, Midtown Detroit Inc. and the Scarab Club, are cooperating in welcoming the event to the area.

Mayor Dave Bing, members of the Detroit City Council and other dignitaries are being invited to open the festival on Friday at noon, on the festival main stage, behind the museum on Farnsworth Street. On Saturday, the festival’s annual “Parade of Nations” featuring the International Caribbean Festival Parade will kick off from WSU at 11 a.m., moving east on Warren and arriving at noon for the day’s opening.

The Wright Museum is proud to continue its 30-year legacy of hosting the city’s largest celebration of African culture, made possible by the commitment and perseverance of many civic, business and community leaders championing the significance of such an affirming and uplifting celebration. These partners include Councilwoman JoAnn Watson; Heritage Works Director Rhonda Greene; Detroit Wholistic Center CEO Jesse R. Brown; Detroit Black Community Food Security Network; the Caribbean Cultural & Carnival Organization; the United African Community Organization; as well as the Michigan Chronicle; Michigan Citizen; and the official AWF radio partner, Clear Channel, through their stations WMXD Mix 92.3 and FM 98 WJLB.

This 30^th anniversary event will celebrate the best of the festival’s past with two exhibitions – an outdoor photo display that creates a timeline and an indoor display of AWF memorabilia and video recordings. The Heritage Works African Folklife Village will present a weekend of traditional crafts demonstrations, African drum and dance performances and audience interactions. Detroit Rocks the Runway features a high-energy showing of fashions by talented designers competing to the theme: “Hip Hop Gets Cultured.” The mastery of Detroit jazz icons Faruq Z. Bey and Alma Smith, and R&B vocalist Belita Woods, will be remembered in tribute jam sessions each night on the Nile River Jazz & Blues stage. The historic Scarab Club will host an evening of local poets, visual artists and performance artists on Sunday. There will also be informational sessions on issues ranging from community economic development to health, and a full range of entertainment and cultural activities for festival goers of all ages.

Again this year, summer school and youth groups are invited to field-trip to the “Watoto Celebration!” – Festival of Fun for our Youth, Friday from noon – 4 p.m. The Watoto (Children’s) Village, in Peck Park at Brush and Frederick Douglass Streets, includes stage performances, games, prizes and “make & take” fun for children and families.

For more information the public is asked to visit the Festival website, www.AWFDetroit.com, call the Festival office at 313 / 494.5824 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For media inquiries only, please contact Alicia Nails at 313 / 613.8369 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Opening today, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History presents the exhibition, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The exhibit features over 140 works by the popular and critically acclaimed artist, who has illustrated over one hundred children’s books that have been translated into sixteen languages and published in fourteen countries.

This exhibition, celebrating an artistic journey that has continued for 50 years, offers memorable perspectives on life’s small but extraordinary moments and on significant historical events that are brought into focus through his art. The power of classic literature and the meaning of visual storytelling in our lives are made clear in the work of Jerry Pinkney, who became “the voice that others may not have had.”

“This new exhibition examines how this talented artist managed to overcome obstacles and create powerful stories that have literally become the country’s collective memory,” says Norman Rockwell Museum Deputy Director Stephanie Plunkett, who co-curated the exhibition. “Jerry Pinkney is the master of the American picture book,” says Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies curator Dr. Joyce K. Schiller. “He has managed to bring historical events to life through the magic of his beautiful and sometimes fanciful imagery.”

Jerry Pinkney’s work has been displayed internationally in countries including Japan, Russia, Italy, and Taiwan, and his clients include former First Lady Laura Bush, who commissioned him to illustrate and design the White House Christmas program, as well as the US Postal Service and the NASA Art Collection of the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Mr. Pinkney was recently presented with the prestigious Caldecott Medal, awarded to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children that year. The recipient of five Caldecott Honor Medals, five Coretta Scott King Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honor Awards, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in New York, the artist has also served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Arts, and on the National Postal Service’s Citizen Stamp Advisory Council.

Accompanying the exhibit is a 96-page catalog tracing illustrator Jerry Pinkney's 50-year career producing some of the most highly acclaimed children's books of our time. The catalog is filled with wonderful color illustrations and essays written by Jerry Pinkney, Stephanie Haboush Plunkett, Dr. Gerald L. Early, Steven Heller, Leonard S. Marcus, and Dr. Joyce K. Schiller. Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney has been organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

The Wright Museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit’s Cultural Center, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am until 5 pm, and on Sundays from 1 until 5 pm. Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney is on display through September 9, 2012, and is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults (ages 13-61), and $5 for seniors (62+) and youth (3-12). Admission is free for Museum members and children under 3.

On June 14, we’re excited to “Witness” the opening of our newest exhibit, Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  On display through September 9, the exhibition is a 50-year retrospective on the work of this famed African American illustrator who’s been called “a master of the American picture book.”  We look forward to spending our summer with Mr. Pinkney’s lively and enchanting images, which offer memorable perspectives on life’s small but extraordinary moments as well as on significant historical events.

As mentioned in our April newsletter, “Witness” provides the opportunity for The Wright Museum to do its part in encouraging a lifelong love of reading through literacy programming and workshops involving our newly designed Children’s Discovery Room, for this summer and beyond.  Our partnerships with organizations whose expertise in this area best helps us realize our mission of educating the public about the African American experience are crucial to this effort.

On a deeper level, the “Witness” exhibit is foundational to these efforts because of what the works Jerry Pinkney brought to life represent: an entryway for generations of children into the communicative arts.  Having a book read to us as a child is a near universal experience, and the images therein connect a youngster’s incredible imagination with the world of ideas, of which words are but necessary symbols for comprehension.  The art of the storybook attempts an incredible feat: to marry the eyes of a child with the words of an adult.  When done properly, the results inspire minds, and strengthen familial and generational bonds.

Some of these stories are our culture’s oral histories, and the “Art of Jerry Pinkney” will transport even the mature among us back to a place of storytelling, breathlessly following the words and imagery, and wondering what will happen next.  We welcome you to experience this with us - or, as the title says, “Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney!”

The New York Renaissance “Harlem Rens” basketball team and all-time NBA leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be honored for their talent, tenacity and teamwork in sports at the 14^th Annual Ford Freedom Award on May 17.

The Ford Freedom Award program includes a scholar’s lecture by Abdul-Jabbar to nearly 2,000 elementary and middle-school students from around the state, presentation of the 2012 Ford Freedom Award Scholarships and a black-tie gala at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.  

“The Ford Freedom Award has a legacy of honoring trailblazers who have changed the world through their actions,” said Ziad Ojakli, group vice president, Government and Community Relations, Ford Motor Company. “Ford is proud to recognize one of the greatest teams of all time that paved the way for many of today’s athletes, and a sports legend who demonstrated excellence not only through his play on the court but through his dedication to the education of youth.”

The 2012 Ford Freedom Award Honoree is the Harlem Rens basketball team, which was the first all-black, African American-owned pro basketball team. Known as one of the dominant basketball teams of the 1920s and ’30s, the Harlem Rens also was the first basketball team to win a world championship in 1939.

NBA hall-of-famer and newly selected U.S. Global Cultural Ambassador Abdul-Jabbar is this year’s Ford Freedom Awards Scholar. His career spanned six championships and a record six regular-season MVP awards. As an actor, coach and promoter of social justice and African American history, Abdul-Jabbar has authored a book and produced a documentary highlighting the career of the Harlem Rens, “On Shoulders of Giants.”

The Ford Freedom Awards program recognizes two recipients each year. The Ford Freedom Award Honoree is presented posthumously to a distinguished African American who dedicated his or her life to improving the African American community and the world at large through that individual’s chosen field (such as arts, humanities, religion, business, politics, sports, science or entertainment). The Ford Freedom Awards Scholar is an African American who has excelled on a national or international level in the same field as the Ford Freedom Award Honoree. The Scholar serves as a living legacy, carrying forth the ideals of the Honoree and furthering those achievements for a new generation.

“The history of African Americans in sports is a storied one,” says Juanita Moore, president and CEO, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. “But it’s easy to forget the talent, tenacity and teamwork it took for those early pioneers to demonstrate not only physical prowess, but also the courage and fortitude necessary to overcome prejudice and roadblocks to their ability to even compete. In the modern era, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has earned his place as a basketball legend, but continues to build on that legacy with his achievements as a writer, filmmaker and Global Cultural Ambassador.”

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, in partnership with Ford Motor Company, launched the Ford Freedom Award program in 1999 to create a forum for celebrating and recognizing individuals whose achievements brought forth lasting and positive change for African Americans and the world. In addition to the evening gala, the Ford Freedom Award program includes a statewide essay contest for grades four through eight, which this year drew more than 1,900 submissions.

The Ford Freedom Award program is made possible by a grant from Ford Motor Company, and is an annual fundraiser for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Additional major sponsors of the Ford Freedom Award include McDonald’s Owners of Southeast Michigan, and MGM Grand Detroit. For additional event information regarding sponsorship opportunities and tickets, call (313) 494-5800 or visit www.fordfreedomaward.com.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

About the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Founded in 1965 and located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown 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. The Museum provides learning opportunities, exhibitions, programs and events based on collections and research that explore the diverse history and culture of African Americans and their African origins. For more information, please visit www.TheWright.org.

For media credentials or interviews

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History will host a keynote program honoring famed human right leader, orator, organizer and freedom-fighter El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, more widely known as Malcolm X, Saturday, May 19 from 3 - 5 pm at the Museum, located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Midtown Detroit.  Also on display will be special, one-day exhibit of Malcolm X’s archived writings, letters and artifacts from the Museum’s collections.
 
"Of all the cities that lay claim to Malcolm X, Detroit has a seminal place," said Herb Boyd, author, activist and former Detroiter.  "It was in Detroit where he began his liberated odyssey with the Nation of Islam.  No matter where he journeyed, Malcolm always had a deep and abiding love for this city and the city never failed to return that love and devotion.  And for a city-wide salute to Malcolm on his birthday, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, with its collection of memorabilia on Malcolm, is the perfect venue for such an occasion."
 
The keynote program will feature presentations by Herb Boyd and Dr. Haki Madhubuti, both noted activists, educators, and editors of the recent book, “By Any Means Necessary – Malcolm X: Real, Not Reinvented” (Third World Press, 2012), as well as performances by the Amen Ra Drummers, saxophonist Tony Holland, and 5-time Amateur Night at the Apollo winner jessica Care moore.  The program will also include a Q & A session and book signing; a portion of the day’s book sales will be donated to The Wright Museum.  A one-day exhibition of Malcolm X’s original writings, letters and artifacts will be on display along with original works of art by Detroit artist Charles Ezra Ferrell and a work from the Robert Smith Collection to accompany this historic occasion.
 
The Malcolm X Day program is free and open to the public.  For more information, please call (313) 494-5800 or visit http://www.thewright.org/upcoming-events/details/446-malcolm-x-day-a-historic-homecoming.
 
About Herb Boyd
Herb Boyd was born, raised, and educated in Detroit. Today, in Harlem, he is a world-class journalist, activist, professor, and author or editor of 23 books, including his most recent one, “By Any Means Necessary – Malcolm X: Real, Not Reinvented,” edited by Haki Madhubuti, Ron Daniels, and Maulana Karenga (Third World Press, 2012).  Other publications are “Civil Rights: Yesterday & Today” and “Baldwin's Harlem,” a biography of James Baldwin, which was a finalist for a 2009 NAACP Image Award.  In 1995, with Robert Allen, he was a recipient of an American Book Award for “Brotherman-- The Odyssey of Black Men in America,” an anthology. “We Shall Overcome,” a media-fusion book with narration by the late Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, is used in classrooms all over the world, as is his “Autobiography of a People” and “The Harlem Reader.”
 
About Dr. Haki R. Madhubuti
A leading poet and one of the architects of the Black Arts Movement, Haki R. Madhubuti - publisher, editor and educator - has been a pivotal figure in the development of a strong Black literary tradition. He has published more than 31 books (some under his former name, Don L. Lee) and is one of the world’s best-selling authors of poetry and non-fiction. His “Black Men: Obsolete, Single, Dangerous?: The African American Family in Transition” (1990) has sold more than 1 million copies. Selected titles include: “Don’t Cry, Scream!” (1969), “Tough Notes: A Healing Call For Creating Exceptional Black Men” (2002), and “Run Toward Fear” (2004). His poetry and essays were published in more than 75 anthologies from 1997 to 2010. His recent releases are “YellowBlack: The First Twenty-One Years of a Poet’s Life, A Memoir” (2006) and “Liberation Narratives: New and Collected Poems 1966-2009” (2009). Madhubuti’s latest book of poems is “Honoring Genius: Gwendolyn Brooks: The Narrative of Craft, Art, Kindness and Justice” (2011) and he is co-editor of the new anthology, “By Any Means Necessary: Malcolm X: Real, Not Reinvented” (2012).
 
Dr. Madhubuti is a proponent of independent Black institutions. He founded Third World Press in 1967. He is also a founder of the Institute of Positive Education/New Concept School (1969), and a cofounder of Betty Shabazz International Charter School (1998), Barbara A. Sizemore Middle School (2005), and DuSable Leadership Academy (2005), all of which are in Chicago.