PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 17, 2012
For more information call:
Frank Smith 202/667-2667
Dawn Chitty 202/667-2667
Celebrating
the 150th anniversary of the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation,
the African American Civil War Memorial Foundation will conduct a
weekend of celebration. The kicking off begins with the "Proclamation
150th Awards Gala" September 19th at 6:00 PM, with the presentation of
the Emancipation Proclamation 150th Abraham Lincoln Leadership Award
President to Barack Obama. Other notables to be honored included
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who will be presented the
Emancipation Proclamation 150th Harriet Tubman Courage Award, Ambassador
Andrew Young who will be presented the Emancipation Proclamation 150th
Frederick Douglass Citizenship Award, and historian Ken Burns will be
presented the Emancipation Proclamation 150th John Brown Education
Award.
"The
Fannie Lou Hamer Story" will be presented September 20-21, 2012. mZuri
Moyo, is the author and actress in the play and has performed all over
the United States and abroad. A star of both stage and film, a critic
once wrote of her, "When Ms. mZuri sings, God smiles, and angels flap
their wings." In this one-woman show, mZuri presents Ms. Fannie Lou
Hamer, up close and personal. Hamer, a courageous voting-rights
activist from Mississippi startled the National Democratic Party
Convention in 1964 with her famous "Sick and Tired of Being Sick and
Tired" speech about the denial of voting rights, but little is known
about her work before and after that one nationally televised
appearance. This presentation in word and song captures the character in
the civil rights movement, sharing Ms. Hamer's struggles and
accomplishments. Thursday September 20th performances will be dedicated
to teachers and educators in the Washington Metropolitan area and Friday
September 21st performances will be dedicated to veterans of the civil
rights movement. Pre-performance receptions and Post-performance
workshops will be conducted each day.
Educational
workshops will be conducted throughout the day with FREED -- the Female
Reenactors of Distinction - the only troupe of African American Civil
War Reenactors in the United States. Recounting the histories of women
of color and their families during this era, they provide new
perspectives on history and added resources to teach about this era.
All
events are open to the public. For a complete schedule of the
Emancipation Proclamation Celebration Weekend and ticket information for
various events, please go to www.afroamcivilwar.org or call the museum at 202-667-2667.
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