The Untold Story of Tuskegee's Student Activism Comes to Light |
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In the civil rights gallery of the Tuskegee History Center is a photograph that symbolizes Tuskegee student protests during the 1960s, a part of history some would say is overlooked or understudied. However, author Brian Jones brings this dynamic student movement to light in the new book, The Tuskegee Student Uprising: A History, which highlights the vital role students played in contesting and reshaping the nature of their education. The book takes readers through Tuskegee students' process of transformation and intellectual awakening as they stepped off campus to make unique contributions to southern movements for democracy and civil rights in the 1960s.
At his book launch event, Jones, whose father went to Tuskegee Institute, shares his personal connection to the book as well as the sequence of events that led him to
The Tuskegee Student Uprising.
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President's Note: November 2022
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"If walls could talk, I believe the stories it would tell are of the countless people who have entered and exited the Tuskegee History Center whose lives were forever changed. Specifically, the story of the tear in the eye of the elderly person reflecting on how far we’ve come as a nation, or the glimmer of hope a parent feels thinking about their child’s future, or the fire lit inside the young adult inspired to fight for a cause they are so passionate about."
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Join the Global Generosity Movement |
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Giving Tuesday is TODAY, November 29th! It's a global day of generosity where people can show their generosity in a variety of ways—whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes. When so much attention is given to what divides us, generosity brings people together across races, faiths, and political views.
We’re proud to be a part of this global celebration of giving and we hope you join us!
On this Giving Tuesday, we’re sharing 3 ways you can express generosity:
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#2: TEXT
Using your mobile phone, text the keyword "TUSKEGEE" to 844-970-1881
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#3: MAIL
Tuskegee History Center
P.O. Box 830768
104 S. Elm Street
Tuskegee, AL 36083
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Please also consider helping us spread the word by sharing with your friends and family why you believe in our work and encourage them to support us too! Thank you in advance for your continued support and valuable contributions! |
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25th Anniversary Program Cover |
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This year, the Tuskegee Center reached a milestone - 25 years of collecting, preserving and promoting local Tuskegee and Macon County history with national and international impact.
In May, a formal anniversary celebration took place thanks to generous support from the Alabama Tourism Department, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and area legislators Senator Billy Beasley and Rep. Pebblin Warren. Events included a community tour of the Center, through Tuskegee University to Shiloh Rosenwald School, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, and Shiloh Cemetery. These locations all hold a great significance to the tragic Tuskegee Syphilis Study.
In this time of uncertainty and amid a global pandemic, reaching and even surpassing 25 years would not and can be possible without dedicated staff, board of directors, volunteers, donors and other supporters. Thank you.
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A Special Visit by National and International Media Professionals |
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Thanks to the Alabama Tourism Department, a group of media professionals from the U.S. and abroad participated in an insightful and reflective visit to the Center this summer. The group toured the exhibits as well as heard from Center President Fred D. Gray as he talked about his career and latest book "Alabama v. King: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Criminal Trial." Gray co-wrote the book with
Dan Abrams and David Fisher.
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Fred Gray Awarded Nation's Top Honor |
Board Chairman and President Fred D. Gray has another title to add to this esteemed list of accolades, 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. This summer, President Joseph Biden awarded Gray the Nation's highest civilian honor and praised him for his contributions to society. Gray was one of seventeen named a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient this year. Click the video below to hear Gray's remarks from the White House following the ceremony.
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Tuskegee University Student Reads to Local Youth |
The Center celebrated Black History Month and the importance of youth literacy by participating in the 'ReadtoMe' program. Tuskegee University student and history major, Daniel Hatten, read a book about Rosa Parks to local youth, while the Center also presented a traveling exhibit on Tuskegee native Rosa Parks from the Troy University Rosa Parks Museum. To learn more about the 'ReadtoMe' program visit tuskegeeyouthreaders.com.
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Daniel Hatten, Tuskegee University Student |
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Mistrust Examined: The Tuskegee Study |
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded the Tuskegee History Center a grant to support Mistrust Examined: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The funds were used to produce new on and off site interactive programs, to generate greater awareness on the facts of the Study, examine issues of mistrust that arose from the Study, as well as mistrust connected with reluctance on the part of some African Americans to participate in campaigns addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center launched a tour that highlighted places associated with the Study, including sites where men were recruited to participate. |
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Maine and Alabama Journalists Help Unite Their Communities
What does South Berwick, Maine and Tuskegee, Alabama have in common? Journalists from each city co-write a column called "Color Us Connected" in their local papers to share their different perspectives in hopes finding common ground. Watch the CBS Evening News feature to see how these journalists are unifying their communities.
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A Remarkable Life of Determination
"One day I was fine, the next I was almost totally paralyzed." Tuskegee resident and Center volunteer, Alice Cherry inspires others through her story of overcoming obstacles with ambition and a positive outlook. Click the link below to read Cherry's life story written by the UAB Health System Marketing & Communications Department.
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Educating Educators
This summer, Alabama teachers explored the Tuskegee History Center and several other sites of history in Tuskegee, Montgomery and Selma to learn new ways to teach about struggles for freedom. See what these educators uncovered during their "Freedom Road" tour, in this article by Alabama Media Group.
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Visually Stunning Look into History from Chester Higgins
Tuskegee Alumni and recent inductee of the International Photography Hall of Fame, Photographer Chester Higgins shares a recent project called Sacred Nile, where he takes readers on a journey through ancient times along the River Nile in Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. Click the link below to read an article in which Higgins reflects on his journey to the Blue Nile countries.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Tuskegee History Center acknowledges that as it is situated in Macon County, Alabama, and it is located on the ancestral homeland of the Creek or Muscogee people, descended from the Mississippian peoples of 800-1500 AD. We acknowledge the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, both past and present, as well as future generations. Acknowledging past exclusions and erasures of many indigenous people, including those on whose lands this institution was founded, we demonstrate a commitment to the process of dismantling the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.
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Mailing Address
P.O. Box 830768
Tuskegee, AL 36083
Phone: 334-724-0800
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All Rights Reserved, © Copyright 2022, Tuskegee History Center |
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