Browse Exhibits (11 total)
Gateway of Possibilities: Ellis Island
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door”
-Sonnet by Emma Lazarus, Inscription for the Statue of Liberty
From 1892 to 1954 Ellis Island served as the gateway to the United States for over 12 million immigrants. This small island, located off the southern tip of Manhattan, was the first US Federal immigration station and the most popular destination for steamship companies. After a long journey across the Atlantic, Ellis Island provided immigrants with their first glimpse of America. Imagine the thoughts that ran through their minds as their boat navigated into New York Harbor – the places and people they had left behind, their voyage across the ocean, the inspection process they now faced and what kind of fate awaited them in their new world.
To Freedom: Tracing the Journeys of Enslaved African Americans
Discussions about slavery continue to stir emotions. This exhibition examines the journeys experienced by enslaved Africans brought to the United States. From the journey into bondage, travels while enslaved, and escaping to freedom, voyages -- forced and voluntary -- shaped the way slavery evolved and, ultimately, ended in America.
Contemporary Crossings: Immigrant Stories of Today
While Ellis Island is now a museum and steamships no longer teem with steerage passengers hoping for a new life, people continue to immigrate to the United States from nations all over the world. From 2000-2007, over ten million immigrants entered the United States, representing in sheer numbers the highest quantity of new arrivals in any seven-year period of American history. The motivations of today's immigrants are as varied as those of their predecessors: some pursue adventure or education, whereas others seek asylum, fleeing economic hardship or persecution in their homeland. Every immigrant posesses a unique tale, but each story is also part of a larger narrative, threaded together by the shared experience of relocating to an unknown country.
What does it mean to be an immigrant today? Six recent immigrants chronicled their tales for Journey Stories, and these rich oral histories provide a glimpse into both the heartache and hope of moving to a new land.
On the Road to Gold Mountain: Chinese Workers and the Transcontinental Railroad
On May 10, 1869 the United States was linked from coast to coast by the completion of the world's first transcontinental railroad. The two railroad companies that built the railroad, Central Pacific (working from west to east) and Union Pacific (working from east to west), met at Promontory Summit, Utah. Over 20,000 workers contributed to this momentous occasion, toiling in some of the country’s harshest environments. While the majority of the Union Pacific workers were Irish Americans and Civil War veterans, most of Central Pacific's workers were not native-born Americans, but Chinese. Despite the many challenges these Chinese workers faced – a long journey across the Pacific, harsh climates, dangerous work, and cruel racial slurs from their white supervisors and co-workers – their hard work and ingenuity were invaluable to the completion of this monumental achievement in American transportation.
Saturday Seminar featuring Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribal History
On January 30, 2010, Durant, Oklahoma will be presenting a Saturday Seminar on Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribal History in conjunction with the Journey Stories exhibit that will be on display in Durant from January 9, 2010 to February 19, 2010. The morning will begin at the former Oklahoma Presbyterian College (OPC), which is the current headquarters for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. This will begin at 10:00 AM. A former student at OPC will be leading a tour of the property. After this, the attendees will move downtown to the Massey Building. At this time, attendees will have the option to eat a traditional Choctaw meal and be treated to entertainment by a Choctaw Flutist and listen to a Choctaw Elder speak. Keynote Speaker for the afternoon will be Dr. Joseph Littlefield, who will be speaking on the Five Civilized Tribes and the Trail of Tears. Pre-Registration will be appreciated!
For more information or to register, please call the Durant Main Street Office at (580) 924-1550 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Orphan Train Riders: Seeking New Homes in the West
"On a given day in New York the ragged and dirty little ones are gathered to a central office from the streets and lanes, from the industrial schools and lodging-houses of the society, are cleaned and dressed, and sent away, under charge of an experienced agent, to seek 'a new home in the West.'"
- Charles Loring Brace, The Children's Aid Society, 1873
Plans Being Finalized for Smithsonian Exhibit in Durant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local contact: Donna Dow
Durant Main Street
(580)924-1550 ddow@durantmainstreet.org
Plans Being Finalized for Smithsonian Exhibit in Durant
January 9, 2010, is the date for the opening of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) exhibit at the Three Valley Museum. Durant Main Street was notified on January 9, 2008, that the organization had been chosen by the Oklahoma Humanities Council to host Journey Stories as part of the Museum on Main Street Project.
Durant’s exhibit will run through February 19, 2010, and will serve as the kickoff for the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce’s centennial year. An organizational committee has been meeting and working diligently since the announcement by the Humanities Council. A full schedule of activities is on tap beginning in the fall of 2009 to supplement the Smithsonian exhibit.
The host committee is hoping to attract school field trips as well as families from throughout the region. Educational activities include an opportunity to display art created by students, writing assignments encouraging recording of family histories, and historic presentations that teachers may share in their classrooms. Lesson plans are available online through www.museumonmainstreet.org.
Journey Stories, the focal point, is an exhibit fabricated by the Smithsonian Institution that examines the human drive for freedom. The story is diverse and focuses on immigrants coming in search of promise in a new country; stories of individuals and families relocating in search of fortune, their own homestead, or employment; the harrowing journeys of Africans and Native Americans forced to move; and, of course, fun and frolic on the open road.
Journey Stories will use engaging images with audio and artifacts to tell the individual stories that illustrate the critical roles travel and movement have played in building our diverse American society. Communities are encouraged to tell their own special journey story through exhibits and other public programming thus customizing the national theme to Oklahoma’s unique history.
Local programming will feature Tuesday and Thursday “Topics” as well as Saturday “Seminars”. Topics will allow speakers to share experiences of the past including the Trail of Tears, steamboat travel along the Red River, the railroad, the Butterfield Trail, Colbert’s Ferry, the establishment of Durant, a pioneer woman, crossing the border from Texas, the Texas Road/HWY 69, the journey of the magnolias, information on aviation in the community, the building of Lake Texoma and related relocation of residents, Armstrong Academy, Carpenter’s Bluff Bridge, and more.
Each topic of discussion will be completed by attendees bringing photographs. Organizers anticipate people staying around after the presentation to tell their story. Anyone with information to share in more detail is welcome to contact the Durant Main Street office to see how the information can best be incorporated.
Southeastern’s Native American Collection and the private collection of Robert L. Williams will be showcased at the University’s library and the public library respectively. Storytellers, poets, and a Choctaw Elder will be highlights.
Many activities and events occurring throughout the community are being promoted as a prelude to Journey Stories. The Native American Symposium at Southeastern will be held on November 4-6. The Three Valley Museum will host a “Night at the Museum” on November 12. An advanced genealogy workshop will be hosted by the Robert L. Williams Public Library on November 14.
On November 21, Preservation Oklahoma and Durant Main Street are holding “This Place Matters” tours of historic properties. The day will begin in the Robert L. Williams Public Library, and will continue throughout Downtown Durant detailing the daily trek of the former Oklahoma Governor. Special treats are planned for this tour of public buildings built by famous architects.
Durant Main Street Program Manager Donna Dow is excited about the exhibit. “The Three Valley Museum is a tremendous asset for our Downtown, and we are pleased to be working with the Durant Historical Society to host this event. We look forward to showcasing the facility and provide this educational experience for our residents and visitors. We are in great need of volunteer docents. Those interested should contact the Main Street office.”
To learn more about Journey Stories and other Museum on Main Street Exhibitions, visit www.journeystories.org or www.museumonmainstreet.org. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Hearst Foundation.
SITES connects millions of Americans of Americans with their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of art, science and history exhibitions. The Oklahoma Humanities Council delivers educational resources and cultural programming to communities across the state. The Three Valley Museum serves the local community by protecting, preserving, and promoting the local heritage. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu, www.okhumanitiescouncil.org, and www.durantmainstreet.org.