Rejoice • Relive • Reconnect
The
Wright Times
Charles H. Wright Museum
of
African American History
Membership Newsletter
Letter from the President
Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley wrote
a series of articles this past February drawing
attention to the financial needs of The Wright
Museum. The museum has weathered a 63%
reduction in funding from the City of Detroit
since 2009, while at the same time increasing
programming and attendance. The need for
funding has never been greater, especially as we
approach our 50th anniversary in 2015.
We are most grateful for Rochelle’s words of
support, and in response, the outpouring of
support we’ve received from the community.
Rest assured, with your help the museum is not
going anywhere. But her columns do make an
important point: that The Wright needs both
city and community support to be sustainable.
To that end, donations have spiked over the past
few months, thanks in part to the efforts of Judge
Craig Strong, who had great success with his
annual membership drive. But we’ve had many
individuals ask, “What else can I do to help?”
GIVE A GRAND
Our Give a Grand, Make a Million program
aims to create a long-term, sustainable base of
committed supporters who want to have a major
impact on the museum’s present and future. We
need 1,000 individuals to pledge $1,000 each
year, resulting in $1 million in annual community
support to maintain general operations. This can
also be leveraged for additional funding from
corporate and foundation sources. No other
institution that we know of has such a program,
and this will be a real “game changer” for the
museum – to learn more, call us at (313) 4945853, visit TheWright.org/giveagrand, or see the
article inside this newsletter. Your support now
can help us do more than ever before.
April 2014
This past February, I was the recipient of
Judge Damon J. Keith’s 2014 Soul and Spirit
Humanitarian award. As much as I am honored
by Judge Keith’s recognition, I am equally proud
of my association with the museum. I know that I
wouldn’t be here were it not for two mighty pillars
of our culture: Art and History. The arts are one
of humankind’s greatest accomplishments, and
express our innermost emotions, desires, and fears.
It’s equally true that history has an immensely
important role in shaping and defining our legacy,
and that knowledge of one’s history is one of the
most valuable possessions any of us can carry
throughout our lives.
The Honorable Damon J. Keith with Juanita Moore
during the judge’s 27th Annual Soul Food luncheon
(Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives)
That is what Dr. Charles H. Wright believed
in 1965, when he and a group of like-minded
visionaries founded the International AfroAmerican Museum. But more than anything, I
believe Dr. Wright built the museum for me. Let
me explain.
I believe Dr. Wright built the museum for the
skinny, sandy haired, nappy-headed little girl
that grew up in a three-room row house with 11
people on Elvie Street in Wilson, North Carolina;
the little girl that attended Elvie Street Elementary
school which was segregated until 1965, 11 years
after the Brown v. Board of Education decision
concluded that such schools were inherently
315 East Warren Avenue • Detroit, MI 48201
p.(313) 494-5800 • f.(313) 494-5855
unequal; that little girl who was sent with 12
other black children to integrate a school with
1,000 white children. Luckily, my teachers, like
Dr. Wright, believed in my education, and the
power of knowing one’s history. So I learned about
Phillis Wheatley, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston
Hughes and W. E. B. Du Bois, at the same time I
was learning about Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry
David Thoreau, Elizabeth Barret Browning, and
E. E. Cummings.
And at that junior high school, being one of
only a dozen black children in that experiment
in integration, I wasn’t embarrassed when my
class learned about slavery because I knew about
Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth,
Denmark Vesey, and Frederick Douglass. But
it wasn’t just knowing our history - it was the
community of parents, teachers, relatives, and
neighbors who lifted me up, and helped build
my foundation of knowledge and filled me
with such a strong sense of myself. It is that
type of community that Dr. Wright envisioned
would surround the museum from generation to
generation.
It’s because of Dr. Wright’s vision, his passion for
African American history and culture, and belief
that education was the path to success, that he
built the museum for children like me everywhere,
so that they could learn their history, have pride
in their people’s accomplishments, gain that sense
of who they were and know on whose shoulders
they stood, and ultimately, of their obligation to
aspire, achieve, succeed, and give back in service
to their communities. Dr. Wright wanted to create
that sense of confidence and pride in every child.
That’s why I say that he built the museum for
me – and more than anything, helping to realize
his vision every day gives me the greatest sense of
purpose and pride.
The Wright Museum® • TheWright.org
Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with the Charles H. Wright
Museum of African American History, proudly announces the 16th Annual
Ford Freedom Award taking place May 21, 2014, at the Music Hall Center
for the Performing Arts. The theme of this year’s celebration, The Power
of Perseverance, salutes Ford Freedom honoree and former South African
President Nelson Mandela, along with Ford Freedom Award scholar and civil
rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams. Each honoree will be recognized for
their persistent and tenacious efforts in the face of tremendous challenges.
2014 Ford Freedom Award honoree Mandela will be celebrated as an antiapartheid activist who spent more than 25 years in prison before becoming
the first black president of South Africa. Ford Freedom Award scholar and
civil rights activist and author Evers-Williams is being recognized for her
30-year struggle to ensure that the killer of her late husband, civil rights
activist Medgar Evers, was brought to justice. A special award will be
presented to Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a U.S. Air Force retiree who
served with the famous 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Tuskegee
Airmen, in World War II. Jefferson was captured by the Nazis and held
captive as a POW during the war.
Ford Freedom Awards recognize two recipients each year. The Ford Freedom
Award is presented posthumously to a distinguished African American who
has dedicated his or her life to improving the African-American community
and the world at large through the arts, humanities, religion, business,
politics, sports, science, entertainment or other field. The Ford Freedom
Award scholar is recognized as an African American who has excelled
on a national or international level in that individual’s chosen field. The
scholar serves as a living legacy, carrying forth the ideals of the honoree and
furthering those achievements for a new generation.
Over 2,000 Michigan students in grades 4 - 8 are participating by
submitting essays on episodes in their lives in which they’ve persevered, with
five essay contest winners to receive Ford Freedom Award medals, certificates
of merit, and scholarships in the following amounts: 1st prize, $5,000; 2nd
prize, $2,500; 3rd prize, $1,000; and two honorable mentions for $250
each. Participating students are invited to attend the free 2014 Scholar’s
Lecture to be held during the morning of May 21 at Music Hall.
To commemorate this year’s event, Ford is seeking Detroiters who have
demonstrated the power of perseverance. The community may nominate
living individuals who demonstrate the power to endure challenge in pursuit
of their goals. Nominations should include a brief but compelling
summary of three to four paragraphs describing what distinguishes the
individual from others. Contact information for both the nominator
and nominee should be included and emailed to [email protected]
by May 2, 2014. Selected honorees and their nominators will receive
complimentary tickets to attend this year’s Ford Freedom Award event on
Wednesday, May 21.
In addition to the reception and awards ceremony, the evening’s festivities
will include a special tribute performance. Tickets for the 16th annual Ford
Freedom Award are $40 per person, or $35 for Wright Museum members. A
special VIP meet-and-greet is available for $75, which includes an afterglow
experience and photo opportunity with the honorees and performer. Tickets
may be purchased online at fordfreedomaward.com, or musichall.org,
by phone at (313) 887-8581, or at the Music Hall box office.
The Ford Freedom Award program is presented by Ford Motor Company to
benefit the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Be one of a special thousand Grand Champions
who build the foundation for the museum’s future!
The simple truth is that without the support of our community, the
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History would not be
what it is today. Community support has been intrinsic to the museum
since its inception in 1965. In 1978, when the museum needed a
larger facility, Detroit Public Schools students raised funds with a “Buy
a Brick” campaign, followed by the “Million Dollar Club” members
giving of themselves. More than 36 years, a few name changes, and two
buildings later, the Give a Grand, Make a Million campaign continues
the great work of securing the museum’s sustainability.
Supporters pledge $1,000 a year in installments as low as $84
per month; in doing so, they join a committed group of Grand
Champions who directly support the museum’s operations and
ongoing programming. The campaign’s goal is one thousand donors
pledging $1,000, totaling $1 million in annual community support.
The Howard & Judith Sims Charitable Fund has graciously pledged
to match half of the donations received through Give a Grand up to
$100,000.
Give a Grand, in fact, is purposefully similar to the “Million Dollar
Club,” where members also pledged $1,000. Clarence Stone, former
museum trustee and current Give a Grand participant, remembers
well the success and good will garnered by the efforts of fundraisers
in the 1980s. “It’s about not forgetting our past… and letting people
know what we are doing.” Stone, who was an Omega Psi Phi brother
with Dr. Charles Wright and museum chief operating officer Tyrone
Davenport, recognizes the need to be willing to support your beliefs in
tangible ways. “It is very important to never let our achievements be
lost. The museum must continue to be healthy and viable.”
That sentiment is shared by others who have pledged their support.
Ernest Holland, who has served as a museum volunteer and on
the Friends Committee, joined Give a Grand after reading about
the matching funds aspect. “My contribution is important for the
immediate financial survival, and long-run help for programs and
exhibits.” For Holland, it’s an opportunity to show pride in Detroit’s
community and history.
Similarly, museum member Jackie Nickerson was inspired to join
Give a Grand by the influence and work of museum president & CEO
Juanita Moore. Nickerson’s pride in the museum has her calling on
others to do what they can to support the institution, even if they
cannot do so financially. “Volunteer,” says Nickerson. “It’s important
that the museum stay open.”
Funding from the City of Detroit, which owns the museum, its
property and collections, has been significantly reduced from its prerecession levels, and the museum has responded by reducing expenses
by $1.2 million while maintaining hours to the public and increasing
outreach, partnerships, and programming. But there’s a limit to
what cutting can do, and as the museum approaches its 50th year of
existence, continued community support is critical.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
With the help of those who support the Give a Grand, Make a Million
campaign, individual steps will combine into giant leaps, placing
The Wright Museum on surer footing for the future. For more
information please call (313) 494-5853, or visit the website at
TheWright.org/giveagrand to download the pledge form or
enroll online.
Exhibition on display May 14 – June 27, 2014
Two events, 100 years apart, stand as pillars in the advancement of the
rights and dignity of African Americans; one exhibition showcases the
parallels that span that century, continuing to influence our collective
path today. Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
and the March on Washington, 1963 was organized by the Smithsonian
museums and the American Library Association to commemorate and
compare these two monumental dates.
In 1863, the U.S. population totaled 31.4 million individuals, 4.4
million of which were African American, the vast majority of which were
enslaved. Those millions experienced decades of chains, separation, and
torture unlike anything the world had seen before or since. President
Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation freed
slaves in Southern states - a tactical move to further bolster the Union
and destabilize the Confederacy, to be certain - but which was ultimately
a moral decision. Lincoln had to maneuver as such to gain support,
outwardly remaining neutral while drafting the Proclamation and tying
the cause of slave freedom to the reunification of the country. President
Lincoln’s re-election platform significantly relied on the promise of
wholly abolishing slavery in the nation. After he successfully retained the
office, Lincoln pressed Congress to pass the Thirteenth Amendment.
Among the many timeless quotes that can be pulled from Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one directly connects the two dates
focused on in Changing America:
“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand,
signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a
great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared
in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the
long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic
fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the
Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of
discrimination.”
In those 100 years, the U.S. population increased to 179 million, 18.8
million of which were African American. The March on Washington
was the result of decades of effort to fight systematic segregation,
discrimination, and racism, a symbolic milestone to the progress made,
but also a promise of the work still to be done. The sheer number of
people, estimated in the range of 250,000, showed the momentum
the Civil Rights Movement had gained among members of all races;
the speakers successfully articulated the grievances and hopes of the
collective population to a national, television-watching audience. The
March spurred action toward the advancement of both labor and civil
rights, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Despite the assassinations of Lincoln and King in 1865 and 1968,
respectively, their actions forever changed the culture, politics, and
outlook of America. By pulling together photographs, artifacts, and
information from the vast collections available to the Smithsonian
institution into a traveling exhibit, a testament is made to the power of
the people to enact change and demand justice.
Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March
on Washington, 1963 is presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum
of African American History and Culture and the National Museum
of American History in collaboration with the American Library
Association Public Programs Office. The tour of the traveling exhibition
is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities:
Exploring the human endeavor.
An unidentified soldier in
Union uniform poses with his
wife and two daughters. Many
African Americans celebrated
emancipation by formalizing
their marriage - an act denied
under slavery. U.S. Army
chaplains reported performing
hundreds of marriages for
soldiers and other members
of black communities. Image
courtesy of Library of Congress.
SPRING
2014
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
UPCOMING EVENTS
Every Sunday at 5 pm: Hustle for History Weekly Dance Lessons ($) [NO CLASS 5/25]
Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm: 30 Days to Lose It! Weekly Workouts ($) [NO CLASS 5/27]
Every Second Sunday from 1 - 5 pm: Charter One Free Family Second Sunday
Every Second Sunday at 2 pm: Children’s Interactive Storytime
Every Third Wednesday at 6 pm: Association for the Study of African American Life & History (ASALH) Meeting
Every Third Friday at 8 pm: The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers hosted by Satori Shakoor ($)
Wednesday 4/16 from 9:30 am - 3 pm: Conversations for Caregivers presented by Shiffman Medical Library
Wednesday 4/16 at 5 pm: ASALH Detroit SOUP to Support African American History Projects ($)
Thursday 4/17 at 6 pm: Opening Reception for Black Women Rock 2014: The Exhibition
Saturday 4/19 at 9 am: Robofest presented by Lawrence Technological University
Wednesday 4/23 online at TheWright.org/voices: Voices of the Civil War Episode 27
Saturday April 26 at 2 pm: Meet the Scientist Saturday w/Terence Willis & Dwayne Carson of IC Datacom
Participants will explore telecommunications, and learn how to make and test network data patch cables!
Wednesday 4/30 from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm: Re:Source 2014 presented by CultureSource ($)
Saturday 5/3 from 3 - 6 pm: Raw Vegan Meal Tasting presented by Holistic Prescriptions ($)
Saturday May 10 at 3 pm: Mother’s Day Concert & Appreciation Contest ($)
Featuring jessica Care moore, Naomi Long Madgett, InsideOut, LaShaun phoenix Moore, Octave, and more!
Saturday 5/17 at 1 pm: Meet the Scientist Saturday featuring David Head & Dr. Terrance Dillard
Saturday May 17 at 2 pm: Liberation Film Series Brother Minister – The Assassination of Malcolm X
Film Screening & Discussion on “The Continuing Relevance of Malcolm X for Black Liberation” led by Dr. Baba Zak
Kondo, Associate Professor, Baltimore City Community College, and Dr. Sundiata Keita Cha-Jua, Associate Professor of
History, University of Illinois-Urbana & Chief Editor of the “Black Scholar”
Sunday May 18 at 4 pm - Tapestry: A Spiritual Odyssey ($) Musical concert featuring performances by
violinist Minister Louis Farrakhan, Willis C. Patterson’s Our Own Thing Chorale, Gospel Choir Testimony under the
direction of Alvin Waddles, Daniel Washington, A Porgy and Bess Suite featuring rising Opera stars Kimwana Doner
and Nick Davis, CutTime String Quartet, and internationally-acclaimed soprano Louise Toppin
Wednesday May 21 at 7 pm: Ford Freedom Award at Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts ($)
Honoring former South African President Nelson Mandela, civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams and
retired Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson. Visit fordfreedomaward.com for tickets and info.
Sunday 6/1 at 4 pm: The Good Ol’ Days Storytelling Concert by the Detroit Association of Black Storytellers ($)
Friday 6/6 at 6 pm: The New Black
Sunday 6/8 at 4 pm: Slavery by Another Name Film Screening & Discussion
Saturday 6/14 at 2 pm: Liberation Film Series Scottsboro: An American Tragedy Screening & Discussion
Saturday 6/21 at 1 pm: Meet the Scientist Saturday featuring David Head and Dr. Terrance Dillard
Saturday 6/21 at 2 pm: Foundations of Freedom Lecture by International Speaker Virginia Harris, Boston, MA.
Saturday 6/21 at 6 pm: Concept East Retrospective Performance & Discussion featuring Woodie King, Jr.
Thursday 7/10 at 6 pm: AWF Community Advisory Meeting
Thursday July 10 at 6:30 pm: 22nd annual Concert of Colors Opening Night
For up-to-date event information visit TheWright.org or call (313) 494-5800
Museum Donors During the Period of December 16, 2013 - March 15, 2014
The museum would like to extend its sincere appreciation to those donors who have made gifts to support our exhibits, programming and special events. Listed here are the names of contributors who made gifts of $500 or more. Every attempt has been made
to list donors accurately; if there are errors or omissions, please call (313) 494-5872 so we may correct them. Thank you!
$250,000 +
$2,500 +
$500 +
John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation
Brightmoor Christian Church
City of Detroit Employees
Mr. James P. & Mrs. Eva Cunningham
Mr. Howard & Mrs. Judith Sims
Mr. David & Mrs. Julie Adams
Dr. Roger & Mrs. Rosette Ajluni
Mr. Ronald & Mrs. Terye Blevins
Mr. Paul & Mrs. Juanita Bridgewater
Mr. David and Mrs. Jacqueline Burks
Mr. Shaun and Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper
Mrs. Monica Hines Craig
Mr. Arthur & Mrs. Edith Davidson
Ms. Edda N. Dickerson
Mr. Walter & Mrs. Retha Douglas
Dr. De Witt and Dr. Silverenia Dykes
Dr. M. J. Espy-Burton &
Judge Freddie Burton
Ms. Helen H. Gentry
Mr. Kala & Mrs. Shelly Gibson
Mrs. Bobbie and Mr. Yancy Gideon
Dr. William and Mrs. Betty Hill
Mr. Ernest Holland
Mr. Roderick MacNeal
Mr. Paul and Mrs. Mary Piper
Mr. Arnold and Mrs. Sylvia Simmons
Mr. Herbert and Mrs. Sharon Smith
Dr. Richard and Mrs. Gail Smith
Mr. Brian and Mrs. Deloris Spivey
Dr. Bradley Taylor & Dr. Simone Taylor
Mrs. Carolynn Walton
Mr. Ruben Wilson
$100,000 +
McGregor Fund
$1,000 +
$50,000 +
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
$25,000 +
Michigan Council for Arts and
Cultural Affairs
$10,000 +
Mr. Tyrone M. Davenport &
Mrs. Linda Forte
Fifth Third Foundation
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Macy’s Foundation
Ms. Wilma Ray-Bledsoe
$5,000 +
Bank of America Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Mr. Stacy Brackens
Ms. Stephanie Green
Mrs. Joyce Hayes Giles
Mrs. Shirley A. & Dr. Darnell Kaigler
The Honorable Damon J. Keith, Judge
Mrs. Katherine S. King
Atty. Denise J. Lewis
Mr. John Obee
Ms. Heather Paquette
Dr. Bob Pettapiece
Ms. Wendy Rickett
Mr. David & Mrs. Brenda Rudolph
Mr. Anthony & Mrs. Shawn Snoddy
Mr. Myzell Sowell Jr.
Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
Mrs. Laura J. and Mr. Thomas Trudeau
The Honorable Lucille Watts, Judge
Mr. Roy L. and Mrs. Patricia Williams
Rejoice • Relive • Reconnect
Frito Lay
Michigan Republican Party
Ralph L and Winifred E Polk
Foundation
Quicken Loans
The Skillman Foundation
THE KRESGE FOUNDATION
This newsletter and museum programming are made possible by the generous support of our community partners. Thank you!
JOIN US! To become a member, make a donation or volunteer, please call (313) 494-5800 or visit TheWright.org.
Rejoice • Relive • Reconnect
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Membership Department
315 East Warren Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1443
CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture
Ongoing
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DETROIT, MI 48201
PERMIT NO. 3832
Inspiring Minds: African Americans in Science and Technology
Ongoing
Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on
Washington, 1963
May 14 - June 27, 2014
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Celebrating a Century of Sisterhood,
Scholarship & Service Presented by the Detroit Alumnae Chapter
Now - June 30, 2014
Ingrid Saunders Jones: 31 Years of Distinguished Service... and Counting
Now - August 28, 2014
Black Women Rock 2014: The Exhibition
April 17 - August 3, 2014
Membership (313) 494-5872 • Group Tours (313) 494-5808 • Facility Rental (313) 494-5801 • The Wright Museum® • TheWright.org