If you were following my tweets on Twitter last Thursday, you may have noticed the buzz that I was creating using the #americaiam hashtag. I along with the lovely Jennae of Green Your Decor and Renée of Cutie Booty Cakes had the pleasure of experiencing the America I AM exhibit first hand with African drummers, dancers, and delicious African cuisine in the mix. It was an amazing experience, one that I will cherish for a lifetime.
So let me tell you a little about America I Am. It is basically a four-year touring museum exhibit that showcases some of the most memorable moments in African American history over the past 500 years. The 15,000 square-foot exhibit houses over 200 artifacts that represent the many contributions African Americans have made to America. Tavis Smiley is the brains behind it all. He worked hard seeking sponsors such as Walmart, Microsoft, and Northern Trust and museums and celebs who would be willing to part with their prized belongings and artifacts temporarily. Would you believe that the 13th Amendment flew to Atlanta – in its own seat? Sure did!
It is said that some of the displays in this exhibit are sure to jerk tears. I believe so if you are experiencing the exhibit in a small group and not among a large crowd. We were there during the opening and Gala, so there were times when we had to keep it moving. There was bonafide press everywhere with their big video cameras with fluffy microphones attached, and Canon EOS’s with huge lenses, external flashes with fancy filters attached. They put my Canon Rebel and Flip Mino HD to shame, lol! I did completely stop at Frederick Douglass’ coats, seeing them was just amazing. And the music and sound effects really set the scenes in each of the galleries.
I definitely learned a lot and I feel like such a heathen because there is still so much that I don’t know. That’s why I think this exhibit is such a great opportunity for the youth who are getting the bare minimum of African American history crammed in to Black History Month. Touring the America I AM exhibit as part of a lesson being taught in school would be great for kids. Speaking of the youth, 100,000 America I Am tickets have been donated to local children in Atlanta courtesy of Northern Trust. How cool is that?
The American I AM exhibit will be at the Atlanta Civic Center until September 6th, 2009. If you are in the Atlanta area, definitely check it out. This exhibit is not exclusive. It is open to everyone, so please don’t feel intimated if you are not African American! Tickets are only $12 per adult, $10 if purchased at Walmart stores in Georgia. As Tavis Smiley said, that’s cheaper than tickets to go see Madea, lol! But seriously, what’s $10-$12 for an experience that will last a lifetime? If you are unable to make it to the Atlanta exhibit, you can also visit americaiam.org to explore the online exhibit.
I really enjoyed myself during the America I AM preview and Gala. Everything was simply fantastic. Walmart, I thank you for such a wonderful experience!
I tried my best to get some decent shots while maneuvering through the bonafide press, lol. You guys are more than welcomed to view the photos here!
Related Posts:
America I Am: A Perspective-Changing Experience by Jennae of Green Your Decor
America I Am by Renée of Cutie Booty Cakes
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WOW! This look very interesting and worth a trip! Thanks for sharing.
LaVender´s last blog post: I’ll Be There
Oh we are SO there–thanks for the head’s up! The kids will love this–and so will I.
That looks really interesting and something i’d love to take the girls to, too bad it’s all the way down in ATL right now, hopefully it will make a stop around here soon.
I’m happy you were able to have that experience. Kris and I took the girls to see it too, and it was intense. They really did a great job with the sounds and feel of the exhibit. Our daughters are 3 and 5 and they had so many questions, which was a great opportunity for us to segue into some “touchy” topics.
Thanks for sharing your perspective!
This was beautiful. I really enjoyed your tweets and pictures that day. I am so glad that you, Renee, and Jeanae were able to experience this and bring it back to your adoring fans. I hope that I will get to see the exhibit soon!
This looks really interesting! What an amazing experience!
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Wow, if I can make to Atlanta this Summer before it’s all over I might have to add this to my list of places to visit. Looks like an amazing experience especially for my girls.
Looks like a great event! Too bad soooo sad it’s not local. Thanks for the recap.
Sounds like a place I would love to visit with my family. Thank you for the update!
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