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- 1. A Project of the American Anthropological Association Funded by the Ford Foundation & National Science Foundation Opens June 4, 2016 for a limited engagement SCMUSEUM.ORG PRESENTED BY
- 2. Dear Guest, As Mayor of Columbia, I would like to express my strong support for the State Museum and their new blockbuster exhibit, RACE: Are We So Different? presented by Central Carolina Community Foundation. Columbia is a vibrant, culturally diverse city. Preserving our states history and educating our citizens is paramount and the State Museum plays a significant role in that endeavor. Furthermore, the museums central location here in Columbia makes this exhibit easily accessible to visitors. Its not only an outstanding educational resource for all South Carolinians, but also promises to provide a significant economic benefit to the state, attracting visitors from all across the region. The South Carolina State Museum has always exemplified our citys highest traditions of dedication, leadership and innovation. Through their efforts and partnership with the City of Columbia, they have set a new standard of accomplishment in becoming a marquee cultural and educational destination throughout our state and region. I firmly believe that RACE: Are We So Different will continue this long tradition and raise that standard to new heights. I am proud to express my full support and excited about the potential it holds for the State Museum, the City of Columbia, and the State of South Carolina. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions. Sincerely, Stephen K. Benjamin Mayor Columbia, SC(Racism) is not about the way you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look -Robin D.G. Kelly, historian
- 3. A fully functional multiracial society cannot be achieved without a sense of history and open, honest dialogue. Cornel West, Theologian The State Museum delivers tangible cultural, education and civic value and its staff is committed to service, engagement, and empowerment of its visitors. The staff strives to provide community engagement around a compelling topic and create lasting connections through meaningful experiences that enrich and strengthen communities across South Carolina. The exhibit does a wonderful job of providing many thoughtful and differing perspectives of the subject. We all view our personal experiences through the filtered lenses of our own culture and upbringing. This exhibit seeks to remove those filters and provide us the opportunity to see, and perhaps understand, perspectives on the subject of race. The State Museum has formed an advisory planning board from the community, inclusive of many cultures. The advisory board will aid the staff of the State Museum in developing programs and marketing to maximize the positive impact of the exhibit. We will be delivering programs such as: TheStateMuseumdeliverstangiblecultural,educationalandcivicvalue,andwearecommittedtoservice,engagement, and empowerment of our visitors. We strive to provide community engagement around a compelling topic and create lasting connections through meaningful experiences that enrich and strengthen all of our communities. We are hopeful this exhibit will allow all of our visitors to explore the topic of race in an environment that is respectful, open and engaging. We are hopeful by presenting this exhibit, the State Museum will help to answer many questions and, perhaps even in our own small way, provide opportunities for healing and understanding across our state. William Calloway SCSM Excecutive Director JoAnn Turnquist Central Carolina Community Foundation President & CEO Collaboration with community organizations by hosting their established programs Encouraging conversation, awareness, and problem solving with groups in facilitator-led talking circles on site and in the community Meeting the communitys needs with a health fair family event in partnership with health organizations. Creating vibrant social interactions with a reading club, led by community and academic leaders, in a welcoming environment with accessible hours for adults. We invite you to challenge your perspective of race. The South Carolina State Museum is proud to present the award winning exhibit RACE: Are We So Different? presented by Central Carolina Community Foundation. In light of the heartbreaking incidences in our state the past year, we believe presenting this exhibit aligns with our core mission of connecting communities by creating conversation of a difficult subject that still, in many ways, divides us. This exhibit is a scientific look at the social construct of race and asks the very simple question ARE WE SO DIFFERENT?
- 4. This new blockbuster exhibit explores a cultural and scientific look at race throughout history and the reasons we should celebrate our differences. RACE: Are We So Different? presented by the Central Carolina Community Foundation, was developed by the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota and will encourage museum guests to explore the science, history and everyday impact of race. The RACE: Are We So Different? exhibition is intended to inform and shape the local, regional and national dialogue about race. ABOUTTHE EXHIBIT SCIENCE Visitors will discover that human beings are more alike than any other living species, and no one gene or set of genes can support the idea of race. HISTORY Throughout American history, economic interests, popular culture, science, politics, and the struggle for power have played a role in shaping our understanding of race. EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE Race is real socially and culturally. This section of the exhibit, visitors will explore the personal experiences of race in our schools, health care systems, neighborhoods, sports and entertainment industries and more. This powerful exhibit will help visitors of all ages examine the biology, history and life experience of race in the United States. Its goal is to help individuals better understand the origins and manifestations of race and racism in everyday life by investigating race and human variation through the framework of science. This exhibition is designed to make race an approachable discussion that promotes discovery and reflection. The exhibition will address the topics of race from three different perspectives, Science, History and everyday experience, all interwoven to tell a dynamic story with a deep social impact. ITS A SIMPLE TRUTH. People are different. Throughout history, these differences have been a source of community strength and personal identity.They have also been the basis for discrimination and oppression. The idea of race has been used historically to describe these differences and justify mistreatment of people and even genocide. Today, contemporary scientific understanding of human variation is beginning to challenge racial differences, and even question the very concept of race.
- 5. WHY US? WHY NOW? The South Carolina State Museum acts as an agent of trust for the public to explore a variety of topics. RACE: Are We So Different? provides different perspectives on the topic of race using science as its base. We hope this exhibit will make race an approachable discussion that promotes discovery and reflection. We hope to provide community engagement around this compelling topic with a number of programs and events related to the exhibit that will enrich and strengthen all of our guests. Part of the South Carolina State Museums mission is to provide stimulating exhibits and programs, and to provide educational environments that enrich the lives of our visitors. More than 100,000 square feet of the museum is dedicated to permanent and changing exhibit spaces with mission-focused, educational exhibits. The State Museum is proud to showcase large traveling exhibits pertaining to a variety of subjects throughout the world, historic and current, accompanied by a variety of programs and educational opportunities. This isnt the first time the State Museum considered the idea of bringing this exhibit to South Carolina, but because of scheduling issues it didnt work out. Fortunately,2016broughtanopportunityfortheperfect match for RACE: Are We So Different, the State Museum and the Central Carolina Community Foundation. The Science Museum of Minnesota remembered the museum was once interested and called to see if we were still open to the idea of bringing this compelling exhibit to South Carolina, due in large part to their awareness of the events that had occurred in our state last summer. It couldnt have come at a more ideal time for the State Museum and our state. South Carolinians from all backgrounds came together, unified in the face of the tragic events of 2015. The discussion on race and race relations has since continued. RACE: Are We So Different? Is the perfect host to drive and direct these discussions in a thoughtful, scientific approach. Conversations about race and issues dealing with race are happening around kitchen tables, in work break rooms, and classrooms across the state, said JoAnn Zeise, curator of cultural history at the State Museum. This exhibition gives guests a greater understand of the science, history and contemporary concepts of race. In conjunction, we have planned a number of programs and events related to the exhibit that will enrich those conversations. RACE: Are We So Different? helps us stay in line with our vision to be an innovative institution reflecting the essence and diversity of South Carolina, and a catalyst for the cultural and educational development of our state. Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until faced. James Baldwin, author THIS EXHIBITION WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH CONNECTED COMMUNITIES GRANT AWARDED BY ABOUT CONNECTED COMMUNITIES GRANTS Central Carolina Community Foundations Connected Communities grant initiative funds innovative ideas in the following three focus areas, identified by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Gallup as the three most important elements for an attractive community: Welcoming Community, which supports open and inclusive activities and programs; Vibrant Social Offerings, which support the availability of community events and arts and culture opportunities; and Superb Public Spaces, which enhance the beauty and physical setting of the Midlands community. Through the Connected Communities grant initiative, the Foundation aims to inspire organizations that engage and invest in our community to build on the communitys existing assets. These grants encourage community-wide collaboration, spearheaded by Midlands nonprofits, that further knit the community together. RACE: Are We So Different? will connect our community through conversation and exploration of a subject that often challenges us. The Community Foundations Community Impact Committee believes that this exhibit is an opportunity to continue building a welcoming community as, communities are strengthened when their residents allow themselves to explore challenging and sometimes uncomfortable topics together. And, when people regardless of who they are feel welcome, their level of attachment to their community grows and they become personally invested in working with others to improve the place they call home. The Community Foundation is honored to support this exhibit through a Connected Communities grant and looks forward to the many conversations it inspires across our region. ABOUT CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Midlands expert on philanthropy, is a nonprofit organization that links charitable people and businesses with areas of need and opportunity in our region. The Foundation was founded in September 1984 by business leaders who wanted to establish a permanent endowment that would enhance the lives of citizens in the Midlands. Since our founding, our generous fundholders and trustees have awarded more than $120,000,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.yourfoundation.org or call 803.254.5601.
- 6. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Race is so deeply embedded in our lives it appears to be the natural order of things. We must change that notion with all the power of our science and our society. Yolanda Moses, anthropologist and chair, RACE project advisory board MARKYOUR CALENDARS JUNE 2 10am Media Preview JUNE 4 10am - 6pm Race Opens FOR PRESS MATERIALS VISIT SCMUSEUM.ORG/RACE CONTACT MERRITT M. McNEELY Director of Marketing p: 803.898.4953 c: 803.404.1354 merritt.mcneely@scmuseum.org JARED D. GLOVER Public Relations Manager p: 803.898.4948 c: 803.348.6010 jared.glover@scmuseum.org Henri Baskins, Community Relations Council Lee Catoe, Vice President of Community Affairs & Small Business Engagement Columbia Chamber Jamie Devine, Richland One School Board Commissioner, District I Bobby Donaldson, USC Civil Rights Center Bobbi Kennedy, Special Projects Director to the President, SCETV Claude Eichelberger, SCSM Commissioner Saundra H. Glover, Director, Associate Dean for Health Disparities and Social Justice at Arnold School of Health Will Goins, CEO of the Cherokee Indian Tribe of South Carolina-ECSIUT Val Littlefield,Director of African American Studies; Associate Professor of History, USC Lidia Navarrete, Director of Clinica El Buen Samaritano Lou Nolan, SCSM Commissioner, Chair of Community Relations Council Brence Pernell, Lawyer, contributor to The State Paper Nonie Price, SCSM Foundation Board Member Denise K. Spencer, President & CEO of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Debbie Summers, Lexington County Council JoAnn Turnquist, Central Carolina Community Foundation Leo Twiggs, artist, professor, former S.C. State Museum Commissioner Willie Calloway, Executive Director Tom Falvey, Education Director Jared Glover, Public Relations Manager Laura Kane, Education Manager Liz Klimek, Planetarium Manager Paul Matheny, Director of Collections JoAnn Zeise, Curator of History SCSM STAFF REPRESENTATIVES
- 7. MUSEUM PRICING: The State Museum offers special combination tickets for guests to customize their adventure, starting with Explorer 1 ($11.95 - $13.95), Explorer 2 ($14.95 - $16.95) and Master Explorer ($17.95 - $19.95). The museums best value is Master Explorer, which includes general admission to the museum, as well as the planetarium, 4D theater and blockbuster exhibit. General admission to the museum is $6.95 for children 12 and under, $7.95 for seniors and $8.95 for adults. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more. As the states largest and most comprehensive museum, the South Carolina State Museum offers a unique, entertaining and educational experience to visitors throughout its 225,000 square foot facility located in the heart of downtown Columbias Congaree Vista. The State Museum is housed in one of its largest artifacts, an 1894 old textile mill full of character and charm. Guests can explore outer space in one of the largest planetariums in the Southeast, watch an interactive 4D movie and look through a vintage telescope in a one-of-a-kind observatory. These opportunities are all in addition to the four floors of South Carolina art, cultural history, natural history and science/technology. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more. SCMUSEUM.ORG ABOUTTHE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE MUSEUM