MEDIA RELEASE
BOLIVIA, N.C. – Brunswick County Library’s Southwest Brunswick Branch has been selected to host the Smithsonian traveling exhibition Voices and Votes: Democracy in America. The exhibition examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government “of, by and for the people,” and how each generation since continues to question how to form “a more perfect union.” Voices and Votes opens June 3, 2024 and will be on view through July 13, 2024.
“Voices and Votes allows us to reflect on Brunswick County’s history and explore what it means to be an active participant in the governance of not only the country but also this community,” Library Director Patricia Dew said. “We want to convene conversations about and have developed local exhibitions and public programs to complement the Smithsonian exhibition.”
Voices and Votes is based on an exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith. The free programs and events include touring the exhibit during regular library hours, an opening reception, a Board of Elections voter ID event, and more.
Find event details online on the Library’s Events calendar and at brunswickcountync.gov/library.
Brunswick County Library wishes to thank North Carolina Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Our State Magazine, and the National Humanities Cetner for their support of this exhibition. We look forward to having residents of Brunswick County see Voices and Votes at the Southwest Brunswick Branch Library in Carolina Shores (9400 Ocean Highway West, Carolina Shores, NC 28467).
About the Voices and Votes Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit
Voices and Votes explores the action, reaction, vision, and revision that democracy demands as Americans continue to question how to shape the country. From the revolutionary period to the suffrage movement, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story—the story of democracy in America.
Exhibition sections explore the origins of American democracy, the struggles to obtain and keep the vote, the machinery of democracy, the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Voices and Votes features historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
Brunswick County has been chosen by North Carolina Humanities to host Voices and Votes as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The tour begins at Iredell County Public Library in Statesville in April 2024. From there, the exhibition travels to Southwest Brunswick Branch Library in Carolina Shores, Cumberland County Public Library in Fayetteville, Alamance Community College in Graham, and Appalachian State University in Boone. The tour concludes at Henderson County Public Library in Hendersonville in January 2025. A full tour itinerary can be found at nchumanities.org.
About Brunswick County Library: The mission of the Brunswick County Library is to provide materials, services, and programs to support the informational, cultural, recreational and lifelong learning interests of the community. Our vision is to develop vibrant library branches that are vital community destinations for learning, inspiration, innovation, and opportunity. We have five branches across Brunswick County, offering books, magazines, movies, audiobooks, and kits for loan. We also offer computer access, educational and community events, and e-books. For more information about Brunswick County Library, visit brunswickcountync.gov/library.
About North Carolina Humanities: Through public humanities programs and grantmaking, North Carolina Humanities connects North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. To learn more visit nchumanities.org. Any views, findings, conclusions, opinions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
About the exhibit: Votes and Votes: Democracy in America is part of Museum on Main Street (MoMS), a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, like North Carolina Humanities, and local exhibit host institutions. Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress. Learn more at museumonmainstreet.org.
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