“Voices and Votes: Democracy In America” Exhibit On Display At Alice Austen House – Democracy Demands Action, Reaction, Vision, Revision

“Voices and Votes: Democracy In America” Exhibit On Display At Alice Austen House – Democracy Demands Action, Reaction, Vision, Revision

Smithsonian’s “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” travels to the Alice Austen House Museum

The exhibition will be on view from December 27, 2024 through February 7, 2025

Editor’s note: Alice Austen House recently hosted conversations with the Lesbian Avengers, an activist group.  We recently covered Citizen Action NY’s visit to Riker’s Island prison in order to register eligible inmates to vote in the most recent election.  Voter disenfranchisement, through many types of convictions, whether served or still in progress, is an issue across many states.  Laws can be complicated, as can regulations, and there are vote challenges that election officials, watchers, or eligible electors can enact which can further disenfranchise more voters.  

From the exhibit’s website at Smithsonian:

When American revolutionaries waged a war for independence they took a leap of faith that sent ripple effects across generations. They embraced a radical idea of establishing a government that entrusted the power of the nation not in a monarchy, but in its citizens. That great leap sparked questions that continue to impact Americans: who has the right to vote, what are the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens, and whose voices will be heard? Voices and Votes: Democracy in America will be a springboard for discussions about those very questions and how they are reflected in local stories.

Voices and Votes is based on a major exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This Museum on Main Street adaptation will have many of the same dynamic features: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

Our democracy demands action, reaction, vision, and revision as we continue to question how to form “a more perfect union.” How do you participate as a citizen? From the revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America.

From the Alice Austen House:

[Troy, NY] –The Museum Association of New York (MANY) today announced the next stop for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Museum on Main Street exhibition Voices and Votes: Democracy in America will be the Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island.

The exhibition will be at Eccleston Hall, located in the lower level of St John’s Episcopal Church, one block away from the Alice Austen House.

“One of the key themes of A New Agora for New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy and the Voices and Votes exhibition is the struggle for civil rights, voting rights, and equal participation in our democracy,” said MANY Agora Project Fellow Ren Lee. “As a photographer who documented LGBTQ+ life in New York, Austen’s photographs give us an intimate picture of women’s lives during an era of struggle for greater freedoms and the right to vote. We’re excited to have the opportunity to partner with the Alice Austen House to explore these themes through Austen’s lens and see how she and her circle participated in these efforts for representation.”

Largely self-taught, Austen’s photography challenged the social norms of her era, exploring themes of gender and identity. She photographed herself and her friends in unconventional ways, often subverting traditional gender roles, which reflected a progressive perspective on social boundaries.

“The Alice Austen House is looking forward to collaborating on this project,” said Executive Director Victoria Munro. “It allows us to develop complementary programming that celebrates Alice Austen’s role in organizing and community building while also recognizing the contributions of other women, both from her time and throughout history, to the advancement of American democracy.”

The Alice Austen House’s Study Gallery will host Documenting Democracy: The Austen Home and Community, a response exhibition in conjunction with the Voices and Votes exhibition. This initiative will feature an electronic slideshow reflecting Alice Austen’s significant contributions to community organization and volunteerism. Additionally, the exhibition will integrate recent materials highlighting Austen’s legacy, drawing connections to the museum’s mission of exploring personal identity and contemporary storytelling. Visitors will have the opportunity to actively engage with the exhibition by recording their reflections. These contributions will form part of a growing oral history archive, documenting personal narratives and connections to the principles of democracy. This interactive component aims to foster a deeper understanding of the historical and personal significance of democratic engagement.

MANY is the statewide organizer for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s Museum on Main Street Program, which previously brought the “Water/Ways” exhibition to six New York museums in 2019. The Museum on Main Street program offers traveling exhibitions, educational resources, and programming across America to communities through local museums, historical societies, and other cultural venues.

This exhibition is supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.

Learn more about the New York State tour of the Voices and Votes exhibition at https://agoranewyork.org/ and preview the full schedule of programming and events happening at the Alice Austen House.

From Congresswoman Malliotakis:

Malliotakis Announces Voice & Votes Smithsonian Exhibit is Coming to Staten Island’s Alice Austen House

(STATEN ISLAND, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis today announced that that the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit from the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) will be making its next stop in Staten Island and will be on view at Alice Austen House from December 27, 2024, to February 7, 2025. The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the SITES, state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions.

Voices and Votes is adapted from the exhibition American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. This traveling exhibition includes many of the same dynamic features: historical and contemporary photographs; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

“With the United States approaching its 250th anniversary, this traveling exhibit focused on our country’s upbringing is the perfect way for our community to learn more about our Democratic process,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. “I’ve been proud to work with the Smithsonian to bring the Trump-authorized Women’s History Museum to the National Mall, and I encourage everyone to visit the Alice Austen House while this exhibit is on display to reflect on the foundations of our nation and the progress we’ve made to build a government that represents the diverse voices of the American people.”

“The Alice Austen House is looking forward to collaborating on this project,” said Alice Austen House Executive Director Victoria Munro. “It allows us to develop complementary programming that celebrates Alice Austen’s role in organizing and community building while also recognizing the contributions of other women, both from her time and throughout history, to the advancement of American democracy.”

Voices and Votes exhibition themes include:

• the principles and events that inspired the writers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution;
• the struggle for voting rights and equal participation in our democracy;
• freedoms and responsibilities of citizens;
• the formal and informal processes of our political systems;
• music, performance, and visual arts as expressions of democracy;
• protest and actions beyond the ballot including civil rights movements and the struggles of historically marginalized people;
• and engaging new American citizens.

Learn more about the Voice and Votes exhibition HERE

Learn more about the Alice Austen House HERE

Voices and Votes is a Museum on Main Street (MoMS) exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. It’s based on an exhibition by the National Museum of American History. It has been made possible in New York State by the Museum Association of New York. Support for MoMS in New York State has been provided by the United States Congress.

“A New Agora for New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy” humanities discussion programs are made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Additional funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation supports public events, community exhibitions, free public lectures, workshops for teachers, and community discussion programs.

About the Museum Association of New York

The Museum Association of New York is the only statewide museum service organization with more than 780 member museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. MANY helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and networking opportunities. Visit www.nysmuseums.org and follow MANY on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @nysmuseums

About the Alice Austen House Museum

The Alice Austen House Museum fosters creative expression, explores personal identity, and educates and inspires the public through the interpretation of the photographs, life and historic home of American photographer, Alice Austen (1866-1952). The Alice Austen House is a living breathing photographic resource, providing a platform for contemporary photographers to explore Austen’s legacy and make connections to the place she called home. The Alice Austen House and its surrounding waterfront park are a nationally designated site of LGBTQ+ history. The museum centers the 56 year relationship between Alice Austen and her life partner Gertrude Tate, providing an important window into pre Stonewall LGBTQ+ history and enriching our understanding of the important life and work of Alice Austen.

 

About St. John’s Episcopal Church

St. John’s Episcopal Church has been a pillar of faith, family, and friendship on Staten Island for over 175 years. Founded in 1843, the church has grown alongside the diverse communities it serves, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community. Known for its inclusive spirit and commitment to justice, St. John’s provides a sanctuary of acceptance and understanding, where everyone is invited to be their authentic selves.The church’s current home on Bay Street was built in 1871 to accommodate a growing congregation. Over the years, St. John’s has embraced new waves of immigrants and worked to uphold its mission of love, hospitality, and equality, while also repenting for the sins of racism and white supremacy. Today, it is a vibrant, multigenerational community enriched by partnerships with organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, the United Staten Island Veterans Organization, Episcopal Charities, and Richmond Senior Services. Rooted in a deep belief in the transformative power of faith, St. John’s continues to celebrate diversity and foster meaningful connections that uplift its members and the wider community.

 

 

Banner Image:  March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963. Image Credit – National Archives