Road Reports

Lakota Night at the Museum

The MoMS experience often highlights the ways in which stories from all towns, organizations and nations within America strengthen the story of the country as a whole. This past March, Lonnie Little Hoop of Alliance, Nebraska discussed the unique facets of  Lakota culture during a New Harmonies program.

Lakota language, stories and culture were celebrated during Knight Museum and Sandhills Center’s “Lakota Night at the Museum.” Lonnie Little Hoop opened the Lakota presentation with a victory song, while his daughters danced in elaborate regalia. During the celebration Little Hoop also shared his experience growing up as a young Lakota in Alliance, NE, highlighting the prejudice he faced due to his cultural heritage. The Nebraska Times-Herald reports; “For him, growing up as a minority in the schools and township of Alliance was tough…when he was a boy, the schools didn’t teach Native American history.” While Little Hoop admitted that he and other Lakotas “got by by surviving,” he made sure to acknowledge the progress of acceptance and equality that has developed throughout his lifetime.

    

We are enthralled by these powerful images, and are always thrilled when such meaningful narratives arise from innovative programming.

Thank you to The Knight Museum and Sandhills Center, and to Alliance Nebraska’s Times-Herald for the detailed report and photographs from this event.

 

-          Roxanne Berschler, SITES, Washington, D.C.

Georgia Wins Award

The Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries has honored the Georgia Humanities Council & Center for Public History and The University of West Georgia with an award for their work with the state's Key Ingredients tour!

 Arden Williams, Program Coordinator for Key Ingredients in Georgia, accepted the award  for “special projects” last week at the GAMG conference in Thomasville, GA.  The award was granted “for making a significant impact by generating new discussions about Georgia’s history, culture, and food traditions, attracting new audiences, and improving the quality of museum services to its host communities.”

                     
The MoMS team is proud of this accomplishment, and would like to extend our congratulations to all those involved in making Georgia’s run with Key Ingredients a triumph!

 -- Roxanne Berschler, SITES -- Washington, D.C.

"The Best Day of My Life"

Libraries generally aren’t considered “en-vogue” amongst the pre-teen crowd.

Miami,Oklahoma has reason to brag -- the Miami Public Library became a hot-spot for kids during its display of the Journey Stories exhibit this past November. Marcia Johnson, the library’s Executive Director, made it a priority to arrange tours for all of the students of Ottawa county, grades 3 through 5.

Tours were given to 30 children at a time and were buttressed by discussions about America’s various Journey Stories. Students danced to a song about the Erie Canal and were fascinated by the chewing gum in an object case illustrating the innovations of air travel. Marcia and the Miami Public Library received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from young visitors, as they heard squeals of “this is awesome,” and witnessed eager participation from their pint-sized pals.

All in all, over 1000 elementary school students visited the Journey Stories exhibit at the Miami Public Library – 1,078 to be exact! One shining moment among many was hearing a child avow; “This is the best day of my life"

                   
                    

 "Many rural town residents never get the opportunity to travel to Washington DC and tour the Smithsonian. This project brings the Smithsonian to them," affirmed the Executive Director. Our sincere appreciation goes out to the Miami Public Library for making this virtual “trip to DC” a memorable one.

-- Roxanne Berschler, SITES -- Washington, D.C.