The Smithsonian Pride Alliance, whose membership spans all of the Institution’s 19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers and the National Zoo, will kick off “Pride month for all” with PROJECT PRIDE, a virtual concert and digital time-capsule celebration of LGBTQ+ heritage, culture and history featuring LGBTQ+ musicians, artists and allies, as well as highlights from the Smithsonian collections.
PROJECT PRIDE will premiere on YouTube Sunday, May 31, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time
The program will be hosted by NPR’s Ari Shapiro and will feature LGBTQ+ artists from across the world, currently including (in alphabetical order): Alex the Astronaut, Big Freedia, Bright Light Bright Light, Cameron Esposito, Courtney Barnett, Claud, Dorian Electra, Girl in Red, Jake Shears, Joy Oladokun, Kat Cunning, Madame Gandhi, mxmtoon, Nakhane, Pabllo Vittar, Pet Shop Boys, Roxane Gay, SOKO, Tig Notaro & Stephanie Allynne, Tunde Olaniran, VINCINT and more.
The program will be rounded out with visuals of LGBTQ+-related artifacts and stories from Smithsonian representatives. Participating Smithsonian museums include the Smithsonian American Art Museum; National Museum of American History; National Air and Space Museum; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; National Museum of African American History and Culture; the Smithsonian’s National Zoo; and more.
PROJECT PRIDE is produced by the Smithsonian Pride Alliance in collaboration with BYT Media. Funding for the PROJECT PRIDE broadcast was provided by the Secretary of the Smithsonian and the Smithsonian National Board. For more information about PROJECT PRIDE, visit HERE and follow the Smithsonian on social media with #SmithsonianPride.
This post is courtesy of the Smithsonian Pride Alliance.
About Smithsonian Pride Alliance
Smithsonian Pride Alliance (formerly GLOBE) was formed in 1988 in the midst of the AIDS crisis. From the beginning, the Pride Alliance has been “part of a broader human rights and equity approach to management and scholarship.” Founded more than 30 years ago, the Pride Alliance is the oldest LGBTQ+ employee resource group in the federal government.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
Poetry rocks the world!
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
Maintain the movement.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
The Smithsonian’s distance-learning resources draw on content and expertise from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers and 21 libraries. These activities are tied to national learning standards and can serve as a resource for teachers, students and parents across the country.
The Smithsonian will offer new distance-learning resources to support teachers and students facing unprecedented learning challenges in the midst of nationwide school closures due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The resources, which focus on pre-K-12 education, include tailored lesson plans tied to national learning standards and added support for educators and parents.
The Smithsonian, which has more than 1.7 million multimedia educational resources available online, worked closely with District of Columbia Public Schools to curate a set of distance-learning opportunities tied specifically to the schools’ educational priorities through the spring. For grades K-8, Smithsonian educators have identified online lessons and activities with a direct tie to goals in the DCPS curriculum guides to help keep students on track while schools are closed. Teachers can find these recommended activities broken down by grade and subject on the distance-learning resource webpage. In addition, parents can find activities designed specifically for them to work with their children at home. These distance-learning resources include options for every learning environment, ranging from technology-free activities that don’t require computers to resources for students and educators in high-tech learning environments.
The Smithsonian’s distance-learning resources draw on content and expertise from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers and 21 libraries. These activities are tied to national learning standards and can serve as a resource for teachers, students and parents across the country.
“The Smithsonian should have a prominent place in every classroom and home in America,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. “Whether during the course of everyday learning or in a crisis like this, parents, teachers and students can rely on the Smithsonian’s wealth of expertise and knowledge that is available for free at the click of a mouse.”
The work being done with DCPS is the latest collaboration under an ongoing partnership between the two organizations. In 2019, the Smithsonian and DCPS signed a memorandum of agreement, the first formal agreement between the Smithsonian and a school district, in an effort to offer learning opportunities for local students that directly supports the school district’s strategy.
“The Smithsonian has always been committed to supporting students and teachers, and we want to ensure that school closures do not get in the way of students’ ongoing education,” said Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar, the head of the education and access at the Smithsonian. “We formed an education response team to support schools facing closures around the country by connecting them with free and relevant resources. This team has also been working directly with DCPS administrators to assist local students, teachers and families with their specific needs.”
The Smithsonian also offers increased resources to help educators and parents utilize these tools. The distance-learning resources webpage offers tips for getting started with distance-learning, information about upcoming webinars with Smithsonian educators, and professional development opportunities for teachers. The Smithsonian Learning Lab will expand its online office hours to several days a week. During office hours, educators from the Smithsonian Learning Lab are available to answer questions about the platform and help identify what lessons and activities are available for specific needs. Teachers and parents can also email learning@si.edu any time with questions or to request specific content. The distance-learning resource webpage will continue to be updated in response to feedback as new needs are identified.
This post is courtesy of the Smithsonian Learning Lab.
About Smithsonian Learning Lab
The Smithsonian Learning Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources from across the Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives and more. The site allows teachers and students to create and adapt personalized interactive instructional materials with online tools and share in the Smithsonian’s expansive community of knowledge and learning. Prepackaged collections contain lessons, activities and recommended resources made by Smithsonian museum educators and thousands of classroom teachers across the country.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
Poetry rocks the world!
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
Audre Lorde (left) with writers Meridel Le Sueur (middle) and Adrienne Rich (right) at a writing workshop in Austin, Texas, 1980 courtesy of K. Kendall under CC BY 2.0
“Women are powerful and dangerous.” Audre Lorde
Earlier this month, February 11th, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 1980. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), calls for the creation of a Smithsonian Women’s History Museum and includes cost-sharing language that is consistent with that used for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture—a 50/50 split of federal and private funds for the development and construction of a new museum. The bill must now pass through the Senate and then be signed by the President.
“With full support from Congress, the Smithsonian has proven adept at creating museums that paint a more comprehensive picture of the American experience,” said Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian. “We remain committed to that goal, and we look forward to working with Congress and supporters nationwide to illuminate the profound impact women have had on the American story.”
The Smithsonian is committed to recognizing and celebrating the stories of all Americans. If the legislation is enacted into law, the Smithsonian will use its resources and expertise to create a world-class museum dedicated to telling the stories of women’s contributions throughout American history
“A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.” – Marge Piercy
Amy Lowell circa 1916
“Poets are always the advance guard of literature, the advance guard of life. It is for this reason that their recognition comes so slowly.” Amy Lowell
American Women’s History Initiative:
“BECAUSE OF HER STORY”
.In the meantime, the Smithsonian has used funds appropriated by Congress ($4 million) and privately raised funds to begin a robust program of exhibitions, public programs and research focusing on women’s contributions to American history. In 2018, the Smithsonian officially launched the American Women’s History Initiative—“Because of Her Story”—to document, research, collect and exhibit the stories of women who have helped shape America.
“The initiative strives to be the nation’s most comprehensive undertaking to document, research, collect, display and share the rich, complete and compelling story of women in America. It will greatly increase the Smithsonian’s research and programming related to women in the U.S., past and present.”
To date the initiative has:
Raised nearly $10 million toward the development of exhibitions, programs, educational material and digital content across the Smithsonian
Hired four curators dedicated to women’s history, with five more curatorial positions pending
Mentored 13 paid interns through the Because of Her Story Internship Program
Published Smithsonian American Women, a book that offers a unique, panoramic look at women’s history through objects from the Smithsonian’s collections
This post is complied courtesy of the Smithsonian, The U.S. Library of Congress, Amazon, and my bookshelf.
Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.
Poetry rocks the world!
FEEL THE BERN
For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice
The Poet by Day officially endorses Bernie Sanders for President.
The New New Deal
Link HEREfor Bernie’s schedule of events around the country.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
Ebony Magazine Vol. 24 No. 10 Photo Credit: Johnson Publishing Company
A consortium of foundations – the Ford Foundation, The J. Paul Getty Trust, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation – acquired the archive of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC), publisher of the iconic Ebony and Jet magazines this past Thursday. The acquisition is pending court approval and the closing of the sale.
The archive includes more than four million prints and negatives comprising the most significant collection of photographs cataloguing African American life in the 20th century. The archive was acquired for $30 million as part of an auction of the assets of JPC in connection with its Chapter Seven bankruptcy filing.
The foundation consortium will donate the archives to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Getty Research Institute, and other leading cultural institutions for the public benefit to ensure the broadest access for the general public and use by scholars, researchers, journalists . . . and poets and writers like us.
Speaking after the sale, Ford Foundation president Darren Walker said,
“We’re thrilled with the outcome. This archive is a national treasure and one of tremendous importance to the telling of black history in America. We felt it was imperative to preserve these images, to give them the exposure they deserve and make them readily available to the public.”
James Cuno, president of The J. Paul Getty Trust noted,
“There is no greater repository of the history of the modern African-American experience than this archive. Saving it and making it available to the public is a great honor and a grave responsibility.”
The November 2005 60th anniversary cover featuring actors Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, and Jamie Foxx / shared here under Fair Use
The sale of the archive is a coda to the story of a company of great significance to the African American community. Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, added that the partnership to preserve and make publicly available this profound collection of African American history and culture represented a tremendous opportunity. “The preservation and accessibility of this singular and remarkable photographic archive exemplifies Mellon’s values and is of immeasurable service to picturing the vast and varied range of African American life,” said Alexander.
“This iconic and unique collection will stand the test of time, documenting an essential part of American history over an extraordinary period. We are pleased to collaborate to acquire the archive and to preserve it for the benefit of scholars, the public, and future generations forever,” said MacArthur president Julia Stasch.
“The MacArthur Foundation and JPC share a common home town in Chicago and a commitment to preserving and sharing the rich breadth and complete history of the African American narrative,” said John Palfrey, MacArthur’s incoming president.
Jet Magazine Cover 1952
The archive offers a remarkable insight into everyday of life in Black America – up-close and personal pictures of artists, celebrities and leaders which provided much needed representation in the media. The historic images also capture moments of grief and horror like the mutilated body of Emmett Till in his coffin and Coretta Scott King at her husband’s funeral.
The consortium will transfer the archive to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Getty Research Institute, pending final disposition.
“The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is proud to collaborate with the consortium and the Getty Research Institute on this important endeavor to preserve and share the richness of these iconic publications,” said Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the museum and Secretary of the Smithsonian. “Ebony and Jet magazine helped shape our nation’s history, allowing Americans — of all colors — to see the full panorama of the African American experience. Together, our organizations will ensure these images, stories and the history of these publications are well-preserved and available to the public and future generations.”
In Los Angeles, Mary Miller, director of the Getty Research Institute, which houses one of the largest public libraries of art archives in the world, said, “It’s a privilege for the Getty Research Institute to participate in making the archive accessible to scholars everywhere, and to have the opportunity to work with other institutions, particularly the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, to secure and share this central American narrative. Perhaps the greatest archive of African American life and culture, the Johnson Publishing archive is a unique resource for the interdisciplinary work that grows from visual inquiry at the heart of research at GRI.”
Recent in digital publications:
* Four poems , I Am Not a Silent Poet
* Five poems, Spirit of Nature, Opa Anthology of Poetry, 2019
* From the Small Beginning, Entropy Magazine (Enclave, #Final Poems)(July 2019) * Over His Morning Coffee, Front Porch Review (July 2019) Upcoming in digital publications:
* The Damask Garden, In a Woman’s Voice (August 2019)
A busy though bed-bound poet, writer, former columnist and the former associate editor of a regional employment newspaper, my work has been featured widely in print and digital publications including: Levure littéraire, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature, HerStry, Connotation Press,The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta/ Phor(e) /Play, Woven Tale Press, The Compass Rose and California Woman.
I run The Poet by Day, a curated info hub for poets and writers. I founded The Bardo Group/Beguines, a virtual literary community and publisher of The BeZine of which I am the founding and managing editor. Among others, I’ve been featured on The MethoBlog, on the Plumb Tree’s Wednesday Poet’s Corner, and several times as Second Light Live featured poet.
Email me at thepoetbyday@gmail.com for permissions or commissions.
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
Raised nearly $10 million toward the development of exhibitions, programs, educational material and digital content across the Smithsonian
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 