Monday, January 26, 2009
The American I AM: The Africian American Imprint
On January 25, 2009, we saw the new exhibit,The America I AM: The African American Imprint, at the National Constitution Center. It will be shown from January 15th through May 3rd, 2009.
The exhibition celebrates 400 years of African American contributions to this country, and presents a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction and creativity that solidifies the undeniable imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world. Featuring more than 200 artifacts culled from every period of U.S. history, the exhibit includes objects, texts, religion, music, narration and media. Among the poignant pieces are the doors to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana that enslaved Africans passed through to board ships to the "New World" (Doors of No Return), Alex Haley’s typewriter used to write Roots, a first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, personal effects of Malcolm X, the door key and stool from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he authored his infamous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", and many other important items from the beginnings of our nation through contemporary popular culture today.
We highly recommend it.
::Shelley
The exhibition celebrates 400 years of African American contributions to this country, and presents a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction and creativity that solidifies the undeniable imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world. Featuring more than 200 artifacts culled from every period of U.S. history, the exhibit includes objects, texts, religion, music, narration and media. Among the poignant pieces are the doors to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana that enslaved Africans passed through to board ships to the "New World" (Doors of No Return), Alex Haley’s typewriter used to write Roots, a first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, personal effects of Malcolm X, the door key and stool from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he authored his infamous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", and many other important items from the beginnings of our nation through contemporary popular culture today.
We highly recommend it.
::Shelley
Labels: National Constitution Center, The American I AM: The African American Imprint
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The Sixth Annual Templeton Lecture: Health Care, Choice or Mandate?
One of our favorite lectures of the year is the Annual Templeton Lecture at the National Constitution Center.
On June 17, 2008, Lynn and I volunteered at the Sixth Annual Templeton Lecture at the National Constitution Center. This year, they presented the issue of health care, which has commanded national attention and become a focal point of debate during the 2008 presidential election process. Delivering this year’s lecture was Secretary Tommy Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, with a response from Senator Tom Daschle, former Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota, moderated by Douglas Kmiec, Caruso Family Chair in Constitutional Law at the Pepperdine University School of Law.
To watch this program on your computer, please go to:
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/TempletonLectureSeries/index.shtml
::Shelley
Labels: health care, National Constitution Center, Templeton Lecture, Tom Daschle, Tommy Thompson
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Legacy of 1808: Traces of the Trade
On April 24, 2008, Lynn and I watched the premiere of the new documentary, Traces of the Trade, at the National Constitution Center. This documentary chronicles the descendants of the largest slave trading family in US history. Who knew!
First time filmmaker, Katrina Browne makes a troubling discovery - her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in US history. She and nine fellow descendants set off to retrace the Triangle Trade: from their hometown in Rhode Island to slave forts in Ghana and sugar plantation ruins in Cuba. (I understand that she plans to followup on this subject in a coming work.)
Step by step, they uncover the vast extent of Northern complicity in slavery while also stumbling through the minefield of contemporary race relations.
In this bicentennial year of the US abolition of the slave trade, this film offers powerful new perspectives on the black/white divide.
There was a post-film panel discussion with Katrina Browne, her cousin, author Thomas DeWolf. It was moderated by Jane Eisner and the Philadelphia Inquirer's Annette John Hall.
Traces of the Trade kicks off the 2008 season of PBS's P.O.V documentary series on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at 10 PM! (Check your local listings for exact dates and times.) Please mark your calendar.
This is a great film. We highly recommend it.
::Shelley
First time filmmaker, Katrina Browne makes a troubling discovery - her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in US history. She and nine fellow descendants set off to retrace the Triangle Trade: from their hometown in Rhode Island to slave forts in Ghana and sugar plantation ruins in Cuba. (I understand that she plans to followup on this subject in a coming work.)
Step by step, they uncover the vast extent of Northern complicity in slavery while also stumbling through the minefield of contemporary race relations.
In this bicentennial year of the US abolition of the slave trade, this film offers powerful new perspectives on the black/white divide.
There was a post-film panel discussion with Katrina Browne, her cousin, author Thomas DeWolf. It was moderated by Jane Eisner and the Philadelphia Inquirer's Annette John Hall.
Traces of the Trade kicks off the 2008 season of PBS's P.O.V documentary series on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at 10 PM! (Check your local listings for exact dates and times.) Please mark your calendar.
This is a great film. We highly recommend it.
::Shelley
Labels: 1808, National Constitution Center, slave-traders, Traces of the Trade, Triangle Trade
Monday, October 01, 2007
Bono and DATA Honored with Liberty Medal
We had a blast at the ceremony honoring humanitarian and rock star Bono at the National Constitution Center on Thursday, September 27, 2007. He and his international organization DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) visited Philadelphia to collect the Liberty Medal. As volunteers, Lynn and I attended the 2007 Liberty Medal Ceremony. Our assignment was the Help Desk. We helped anyone who had issues with their tickets. They had to have a ticket to get into the ceremony.
Accepting the medal from National Constitution Center chairman George H.W. Bush, Bono drew a chuckle from the crowd of 2,500 on the center's white-chair-specked lawn when he reminded the former president that Bush wouldn't take his calls in 1992. Back then, the Irish rock musician-turned-statesman-in-the-rough wanted to discuss global awareness about AIDS, Third World debt, hunger and pestilence in Africa.
On the other hand, Bush's son, the current president, has been more receptive - for the better or worse. Bono teased. He had me over to lunch.... Now, I'm not what you'd call house-trained. I'm not even White House-trained." Bono said, "I ask for things before we even sit down for tea, like billions of dollars to fight AIDS."
Bono, U2 lead singer and activist, and DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), the advocacy organization he co-founded to combat poverty and disease in Africa, were presented with the National Constitution Center's 2007 Liberty Medal for their groundbreaking work in raising awareness about and spurring a global response to the crisis of AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa. In his acceptance speech, Bono said, "Let me set my foot here, and say to you tonight this is my country. Let me say, with humility and pride in my own country, that anyone who has a stake in liberty has a stake in the United States of America. For all that you've been through - good and bad - this is my country, too.""America has so many great answers to offer," he added. "We can't fix all the world's problems, but the ones we can, we must." Bono and DATA accepted the medal and its accompanying $100,000 prize in a public ceremony at the National Constitution Center in Historic Philadelphia. All of the prize money will be donated to DATA.Please watch Bono's great acceptance speech at:
Accepting the medal from National Constitution Center chairman George H.W. Bush, Bono drew a chuckle from the crowd of 2,500 on the center's white-chair-specked lawn when he reminded the former president that Bush wouldn't take his calls in 1992. Back then, the Irish rock musician-turned-statesman-in-the-rough wanted to discuss global awareness about AIDS, Third World debt, hunger and pestilence in Africa.
On the other hand, Bush's son, the current president, has been more receptive - for the better or worse. Bono teased. He had me over to lunch.... Now, I'm not what you'd call house-trained. I'm not even White House-trained." Bono said, "I ask for things before we even sit down for tea, like billions of dollars to fight AIDS."
Bono, U2 lead singer and activist, and DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), the advocacy organization he co-founded to combat poverty and disease in Africa, were presented with the National Constitution Center's 2007 Liberty Medal for their groundbreaking work in raising awareness about and spurring a global response to the crisis of AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa. In his acceptance speech, Bono said, "Let me set my foot here, and say to you tonight this is my country. Let me say, with humility and pride in my own country, that anyone who has a stake in liberty has a stake in the United States of America. For all that you've been through - good and bad - this is my country, too.""America has so many great answers to offer," he added. "We can't fix all the world's problems, but the ones we can, we must." Bono and DATA accepted the medal and its accompanying $100,000 prize in a public ceremony at the National Constitution Center in Historic Philadelphia. All of the prize money will be donated to DATA.Please watch Bono's great acceptance speech at:
Labels: Bono, Liberty Medal, National Constitution Center
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Rare, Signed Copy of the Emancipation Proclamation
The National Constitution Center has obtained a rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln, that is on display and be part of the center's collection for the next 10 years. In addition, they have a coat worn by the orchestra leader of Ford's Theatre the night Lincoln was assassinated, and Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" jacket and shaving kit.
::Shelley
::Shelley
Labels: Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation, National Constitution Center
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Phila's Brush with Royalty
Last week, Prince Charles received an environmental award and wrapped up a visit to the USA intended to bolster U.S.-Bristish relations and give the prince a look at how other places deal with urban revitalization and youth development. Before going to New York City, on Saturday, January 27, 2007, he and his wife, Camilla, visited Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and National Constitution Center. He also attended the 150th Anniversary of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
::Shelley
::Shelley
Labels: Camilla, National Constitution Center, Prince Charles
