Civic Season

Voting & States Rights—Rights for All?
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Connecticut Explored, United States
It’s important to understand the role of states in extending—and limiting—the right to vote. We might think that voting as a right for everyone was part of our founding values—but history tells us differently. Protecting your right to vote begins at your state legislature.

Visit the Cabinet Room of President Abraham Lincoln
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development, United States
The Lincoln Heritage Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development, is an interactive museum dedicated to telling the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln, and the character qualities he developed. The mission is to learn lessons from one of the greatest figures in history on how to live out our lives differently. The museum is open 9-4 Tuesday through Friday, and 1-4 on Saturdays.

Try Think! Conversation Series
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Hawai’i Council for the Humanities, United States
These Try Think events are opportunities for small groups of diverse voices to speak and be heard. Each conversation will be led by a thoughtful facilitator, to help to create a space where we feel valued as full people. Each conversation topic is inspired by a Value of Hawaiʻi Hulihia essay, which can be read for free online.

Youth Action Guide: Climate
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, United States
Explore youth-led organizations focused on the climate crisis and think about how you can get involved.

Young People Shake Up Elections (history proves it)
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, United States
With and without the vote and throughout American history, young people have been a force to be reckoned with as they take action and stand in support of the issues that matter most. The Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) video series from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History shares 10 stories of young people shaping and changing elections throughout American history.

Tour Guide Tell All Podcast
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | DC by Foot, United States
Local D.C. tour guides bring history to life with the Tour Guide Tell All podcast. Confront the often scandalous and incendiary past through conversations about dynamic individuals and inciting events that help shape us today. Focused on storytelling and tourism, this podcast is the history class you wished you’d had in school.

Sign the Campaign for Equal Dignity Pledge
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, United States
We, the People, pledge to advocate for Equal Dignity for all. We pledge to petition our elected leaders to join us in re-committing to protect fundamental human rights. The Campaign for Equal Dignity is galvanizing people who believe in human rights to demand equal dignity for all. Follow the Campaign for Equal Dignity on Social @CTR4CHR #equaldignity #feelthepower.

The Great Task Youth Leadership Program
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | American Battlefield Trust, United States
The “Great Task” Youth Leadership Program is for students, schools, or youth groups in grade levels 7 to 12, looking for intensive leadership and character-building experiences. The “Great Task” Youth Leadership Program is based upon the ideals set forth in President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion…”
While in Gettysburg, participants learn about the actions and decisions demonstrated by ordinary individuals confronted with extraordinary challenges during the battle. Using this knowledge, they will apply lessons of leadership and good character to identify community service projects in their own home communities.
Click “Explore” to apply and learn more.

Check Out A Starting Point for Bitesized Ways to Stay Informed.
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | A Starting Point, United States
A Starting Point is a video-based civic engagement platform created by Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, and technology entrepreneur Joe Kiani. ASP’s mission is to create a bipartisan channel of communication and connectivity between Americans and their elected officials with the goal of creating a more informed electorate.

Explore videos and materials at AStartingPoint.com.

What’s your Civic Superpower? Take the Quiz!
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Made By Us, United States
There are many ways to pitch in when it comes to shaping the future of our nation — from demonstrating to investigating. Whether you prefer being on the front lines or working behind the scenes, you’ve got that historical figure energy – so figure out how you can use it. Ready to find out what strengths you bring to the table? Take the quiz, then read on to get inspired by figures in the past – and learn how you can take action today. Bonus: we even have curated guides to Civic Season for your superpower! It’s basically your enneagram type but for making change.

Make Your Mark in the Civic Season Zine
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Made By Us, United States
You asked for it, we delivered – a magazine just for Gen-Z to tell OUR story. CVCSZN Zine: Our Public Square is a digital magazine, a scrapbook of sorts weaving our personal and local histories into a shared vision for our country. It is the story of where we came from and where we’re going – and you’re the primary source! This is your chance to add your art, share a reflection, show-off your selfie from a kickoff party, record a video with poems, rants, or wishes, and comment on the many threads from other civic superheroes. Have your say. The Zine is what you make of it!

Share What You Stand For with the iconic Civic Season Poster-Generator
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Made By Us, United States
The Globe Poster Printing Corp. was founded in 1929 in Baltimore, MD. In the decades following, Globe developed a signature style – bold, blocky and vibrant – and became the go-to printer for everything from culture to politics to music (think Jimi Hendrix! Aretha Franklin! The Rolling Stones!). Today, through the Globe Collection and Press at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Globe styles continue to power people and movements.
We’re bringing this historic style to life, for you, this Civic Season through a partnership with Show Of Hands and iconic posters designed with the Globe style.
You can get your limited-edition poster at any Civic Season kickoff event, or use our online poster-generator to make your own! Celebrate what you stand for – post a pic to social and tag @historymadebyus!

Add Your Personal History to the Record with StoryCorps
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Made By Us, United States
This is your chance to contribute your perspective, your vision, and your personal history to the record. We’ve partnered with StoryCorps, giving people of all backgrounds, typically two at a time, the opportunity to record meaningful conversations and archive the recordings at the Library of Congress. Capturing an interview couldn’t be easier: You invite a loved one, or anyone else you choose, to one of the StoryCorps recording sites to share a 40-minute conversation. During this year’s Civic Season celebration, between Juneteenth and July 4th, sign up to record a conversation at the Atlanta History Center location here or catch us on the West Coast as part of our mobile tour here.
Not going to be at one of these events? No problem! You can use the StoryCorps App or StoryCorps Connect and make a plan to record anywhere. When you sign up with the app, use the code civicseason to add your story to our collection!

Follow Made By Us on Social Media!
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Made By Us, United States
Love history memes? Want to learn about the history that was missing from your textbooks? Looking for ways to stay involved after Civic Season? Follow us at @HistoryMadeByUs on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn to stay up-to-date! Don’t miss out on all the cool stuff that Made By Us is doing year-round!

Meet Anna Dickinson: Trailblazing orator and political firebrand
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, United States
At only 21 years of age, Dickinson cemented her status as one of the most famous abolitionists in the nation. But it was a shocking news article that sparked her first foray into public activism when she was just 13 years old.

Collect Stories of Your Community
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Memria.org, United States
Memria provides software and services to help organizations create story collection and story sharing projects for their communities

Beyond the Battlefield: Redefining Trauma
2099-01-01 00:00 (Pacific/Niue) | Fort Monroe Authority, 30 Ingalls Rd. , Fort Monroe, VA, 23651, United States
Join us for the first installation of our new exhibit at the Casemate Museum — Beyond the Battlefield: Redefining Trauma.
Visit our museum and take a historical deep-dive into topics of mental health struggles in the military from the perspective of lived experiences at Fort Monroe found within our archival collection, beginning in May for #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth! Explore the lives of four individuals’ stories from 19th century Fort Monroe and how they coped with the trauma they suffered.
Save the dates for a special guest speaker series!
Visit us on Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 1-2 p.m. Karie Murrillo from Fleet & Family will talk about Mind, Body, Mental Fitness. This program will be at the Visitor & Education Center at Fort Monroe, 30 Ingalls Rd.
Exhibition Dates: May 14 through September 11, 2022
Cost: FREE!
Pick up your timed entry ticket for the Casemate Museum at the front desk of the Visitor and Education Center located at 30 Ingalls Road, Fort Monroe, VA 23651.

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Slavery: Short Film
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Fourth Wall Films, United States
In this excerpt from the Emmy-nominated “Becoming Harriet Beecher Stowe”, Harriet is exposed to the realities of slavery during the years she lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. These life-changing experiences shape her as a person and prepare her to write her influential novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.

Youth Lobby Guide
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | American Battlefield Trust, United States
Written by youth, for the youth — the Youth Lobby Guide provides America’s young people with the knowledge they need to become active in the political process and ensure their voices are heard by their elected officials! Speaking from experience lobbying their senators and representatives in Congress to consider full funding for the American Battlefield Protection Program, members of the American Battlefield Trust’s Youth Leadership Team developed the Youth Lobby Guide as a set of simple steps. Passion and drive are at the root of the best conversions, and the guide will lead you through the rest!

Gerrymandering and Redistricting
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | New American History, United States
How might citizens help shape the future of Congressional representation and combat Gerrymandering?
The founders included “The People” in the redistricting process for a reason. Communities of Interest are one element of the process to create a fair district.

Online Exhibition "Chez Baldwin: An Exploration of the Life and Works of James Baldwin"
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 21560, United States
Chez Baldwin is a digital exhibition that explores James Baldwin’s life and works through the lens of his house in St. Paul de Vence, France, where he resided the last seventeen years of his life. Photographs of the interior and exterior of the house, a medieval villa, grace the pages of the section titled “Power of Place.” For Baldwin, his home in St. Paul was an enormously powerful place for writing, healing, and gathering.
The exhibition’s core also includes four additional stories that provide an introduction to Baldwin, insight into his international travels as well as details about his civil rights activism, and an overview of his literary career. Images of collection objects acquired from the house are integral to Chez Baldwin.
Also featured is a Learning Lab for teachers where a Baldwin literary achievements timeline, a listing of resources, links to NMAAHC public programs about Baldwin, and notes by authors who have recently written about Baldwin’s life in St. Paul can be found.

History Film Forum: My Name is Pauli Murray
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | Smithsonian National Museum of American History, United States
Pioneering attorney, activist, poet, and Episcopal priest Pauli Murray was an incredibly influential figure of the 20th century who has largely been forgotten by history. Fifteen years before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat, a full decade before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned separate-but-equal legislation; Pauli Murray was already knee-deep fighting for social justice. Murray shaped landmark litigation—and consciousness— around race and gender equity. As an African American youth raised in the segregated South—who was also wrestling with broader notions of gender identity—Pauli understood, intrinsically, what it was to exist beyond previously accepted categories and cultural norms. Both Pauli’s personal path and tireless advocacy foreshadowed some of the most politically consequential issues of our time. Told largely in Pauli’s own words, My Name is Pauli Murray is a candid recounting of that unique and extraordinary journey.
Join Academy Award-nominated directors (RBG) Julie Cohen and Betsy West in a conversation with National American History Museum curator Fath Davis Ruffins as they explore the making of the film and why “you can’t teach American History without Pauli Murray.”
Presented by the Smithsonian Associates and Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History through generous support of Dan Manatt.
We also wish to thank Participant and Amazon Studios for their collaboration on this program.

Frances Brand's "Firsts" exhibit at The Center at Belvedere
2099-01-01 00:00 (Pacific/Niue) | Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, 540 Belvedere Boulevard, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, United States
Frances Brand was an eccentric artist and activist in Charlottesville, VA during the later 20th century. Between 1974 and 1978, Brand painted 157 portraits of individuals she met and admired in the area. She referred to them as the “Firsts.” The subjects included notable women, civil rights leaders, pioneers in various fields, and those who broke color lines and shattered glass ceilings.
From July 1 to August 31, 2022, enjoy the exhibit “Firsts” from the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society at The Center at Belvedere. Look for programs exploring Brand’s art from ACHS and The Center through the summer.

Come See Steel City - Solidarity Between Union Leaders and a Community
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | History Colorado’s El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union Ave., Pueblo, CO, 81003, United States
Explore the power of solidarity among union and community members in Pueblo, Colorado. The exhibition “Steel City: 1980-2004” looks at individual and collective actions leading up to, during, and after a historic strike. Through oral histories, historic photographs, and newspaper clippings, experience the resilience of an industrial community through changing technology and economic forces.

Listening with Empathy and Humility
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | National Institute for Civil Discourse, United States
Essential to a functioning democracy are people that are engaged in it together and willing to interact, discuss and safely debate the richness of diverse ideas and experiences with each other. One of the key elements to engaging with each other? Building understanding across differences, grounded in deep listening and empathy.
“Listening with Empathy and Humility” offers short videos with tips to help us engage differences constructively. It offers hope and insights with wisdom from the voices of everyday Americans, across race, age and political ideology.

Civics at the New York Public Library
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | The New York Public Library, NY, United States
Explore resources, events, and opportunities for civic engagement at the local, state, and national levels. This site will help you discover ways you can take action in your community!
Topics include Voter Education: Your Voice Matters, Civic Responsibility: Doing Your Part, Youth Empowerment + Activism: New Leaders, Community Building: Stronger Together, and Collections Engagement: Bringing History to Life.

Engaging Differences - Key Principles and Best Practices
2099-01-01 00:00 UTC | National Institute for Civil Discourse, United States
Want to move our country towards a more perfect union? Start with engaging in conversations across differences to find common ground. This document provides several key principles and best practices that are essential to connecting across divides, including:

Empathy instead of vitriol
Listening for Understanding instead of hearing to overpower
Humility instead of all-knowing.

As you read them, consider reflecting on those that speak to you, or recall a compelling personal experience.
