Grand opening of ‘Voices and Votes: Democracy in America’ exhibit
For the next six weeks, the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit ‘Voices and Votes: Democracy in America’ is free at the Pascagoula High School Performing Arts Center.
The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Pascagoula-Gautier School District hosted tonight’s grand opening and ribbon cutting for the exhibit.
In addition to the replica Washington D.C. Smithsonian exhibit, a local exhibit outlines the history of voting on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
Over a year of work went into the collaborative effort of local historians and community members to include voter registration books and video interviews of local residents who remember the first time they were able to vote at the age of 18.
Families can visit the exhibit for free throughout September 20th Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. with extended hours on Tuesdays. Pascagoula Negro/Carver HS Alumni Association President Jackie Elly said, “So many people don’t know about what happened and when it happened and when they come and look at this exhibit it’s a learning process. The history books don’t tell the story, but a story is being told and it’s live, it’s real, it happened, and it’s going to continue to happen.”
Representative Jeramey Anderson spoke about the importance of voting and power of letting your voice be heard.
