It would be difficult to imagine the course of American history without them: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad; Rosa Parks and her brave refusal in 1955 to relinquish her seat on a Montgomery city bus; Fannie Lou Hamer and her courageous stand at a 1968 political convention. These stories of courage and commitment are among the many featured in the interactive exhibition, Freedom’s Sisters, which will run October 25 through January 4, in the Central Library first-floor lobby.
Created by Cincinnati Museum Center, organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), and made possible through the generous support of Ford Motor Company Fund, the exhibition showcases 20 extraordinary African American women, inviting visitors to bear witness to some of the most important moments in our nation’s history.
Featured women are Ella J. Baker, Barbara Jordan, Constance Baker Motley, Mary McLeod Bethune, Shirley Chisholm, Rosa Parks, Mary Church Terrell, Sonia Sanchez, Septima Poinsette Clark, Coretta Scott King, Kathleen Cleaver, Betty Shabazz, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Harriet Tubman, Fannie Lou Hamer, C. Delores Tucker, Dorothy Height, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and Ida B. Wells.
“These 20 women left not a footnote but a footprint on American history,” said SITES Director Anna R. Cohn. “Many of their stories may not be well known to everyone, but their roles and contributions were monumental in shaping our country and its conscience.”
Organized around four themes (Dare to Dream, Inspire Lives, Serve the Public, and Look to the Future), Freedom’s Sisters is designed especially as an educational tool targeting students. Historical simulations and interactive displays drive home messages and meanings central to each woman’s life.
“Our library is honored to host this extraordinary exhibition. We will be planning a variety of engaging and educational community outreach programs that reflect the exhibition’s theme,” said Anne Marie Gold, Sacramento Public Library director.