The Durham Museum Joins Smithsonian’s National Youth Summit on “Woman Suffrage: The Ballot and Beyond”
The Durham Museum will participate in the annual National Youth Summit May 21 at 1 p.m. EDT to mark the 100th anniversary of the passing of House of Representatives’ resolution in support of the 19th Amendment for woman suffrage in partnership with the National Museum of American History and Smithsonian Affiliate museums. This year’s webcast, “Woman Suffrage: The Ballot and Beyond,” will be streamed online to allow middle and high school students across the county to examine the woman suffrage movement and its effects on woman-led activism today. The Durham Museum is one of 11 Smithsonian Affiliate organizations hosting regional youth summits with local activists, scholars and youth. Suffrage was a long-lasting effort that has influenced American perspectives on woman-led activism, democracy and civic life today. The 2019 National Youth Summit will mark this 100-year anniversary by looking at woman suffrage as an example of how groups with limited political power have and continue to shape our democracy. Their contributions continue to inspire Americans to exercise their ability and right to make change.
“As a Smithsonian Affiliate, we were honored to be chosen as one of the 11 sites for the National Youth Summit and look forward to bringing this program to our local community,” said Jessica Brummer, Director of Communications at The Durham Museum.
Since the program was launched in 2011, the National Youth Summit has engaged over 60,000 live viewers and many more through viewings of past archived programs. This year, students participating in the National Youth Summit webcast will converse with a panel of scholars, activists and experts who will discuss changes in activism over time, power dynamics and democracy. These panelists include Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist, and Page Harrington, a public historian and former Executive Director of the National Woman’s Party at the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument. Professor and scholar Caty Borum Chattoo will bring her expertise to the stage from the American University School of Communications’ Center for Media and Social Impact. Finally, 12-year-old gun violence and social activist Naomi Wadler will share her fresh perspective on women’s activism in America today.
The regional summit hosted at The Durham Museum will include a local panel of experts and will enable young people from across the country to participate in the conversation via the webcast’s online chat. Dr. Ferial Pearson, an Assistant Professor at UNO and a published author, will serve as the regional summit’s keynote speaker. She is the founder of the Secret Kindness Agents Project, which is the subject of a published book, her doctoral dissertation and her TEDx Talk. Felicia Webster, a spoken word artist and activist from Omaha, will serve as the facilitator of the event.
The National Youth Summit was designed by the National Museum of American History to provide students with an opportunity to share their views and debate issues as part of a program that aligns with the National History Standards and Common Core Standards for Speaking and Listening. At the National Museum of American History, some 200 Washington public school students will have the chance to interact with the panelists.
At Smithsonian Affiliate museums, approximately 500 students are projected to participate in events and watch the panel’s livestream. More than 4,000 students are signed up to watch from their classrooms across the country and contribute to the conversation with the live online chat feature. Teachers may register a classroom for the webcast or access free, supplementary education materials for all ages at http://americanhistory.si.edu/nys.
ABOUT SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATIONS
Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational, and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at www.affiliations.si.edu.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History explores the infinite richness and complexity of American history. It helps people understand the past in order to make sense of the present and shape a more humane future. The museum is located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
