America I Am Exhibit

America I Am Exhibit Article

From The Slave Ship To The White House!

On January 15, 2009, the 80th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King and five days before the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, “America I Am: The African American Imprint” debuted at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia PA. This impressive exhibit showcases the 400 year history of African Americans beginning with an authentic display of shackles and slave sales agreements and culminating with a recap of President Barack Obama’s journey to the White House.

Over ninety Abington Junior and Senior High school students from the VIBE and IMAGINE programs, along with parent volunteers and teacher representatives had the opportunity to attend the event’s debut. The day began with a brief visit with exhibit sponsor Tavis Smiley, and Dr. Cornell West who graciously took several pictures with the group. Following our visit with Mr. Smiley and Dr. West, we were treated to a one-woman performance titled “We the People.” Her performance highlighted American history and celebrated our nation’s diverse background. Following the performance, was the moment we had all been waiting for; entry into the “America I am” exhibit.

We experienced many emotions as we traveled with the exhibit through time. Sadness and anger accompanied us as we viewed artifacts from slavery; joy and appreciation found us as we celebrated witnessing an actual signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation; frustration overcame us as we glimpsed into the life of Dr. King and witnessed the actual key that was used for his first jail cell during the Civil Rights movement; reverence crept up on us as we learned about different religions; laughter and joy followed us into our vast contributions to the world of entertainment; and lastly hope met pride as we viewed the path that led President Barack Obama to the White House! The exhibit not only educated the students on the many obstacles that our ancestors faced but also provided encouragement for them to stay in pursuit of their dreams!

We returned home that day with a sense of pride and a renewed determination to continue to contribute to our rich history by excelling in our schools and serving as leaders in our communities.

The exhibit will be on display at the Constitution Center through May 3, 2009. For more information, visit the America I Am website at www.constitutioncenter.org/AmericaIAM.