State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, has invited constituents to attend the West Coast debut of an exhibition honoring African-Americans' contributions to the nation's achievements.
"'America I AM: The African American Imprint' brings together Americans of all cultures, ages and backgrounds to celebrate and better understand the importance of contributions African Americans have made to this country," Oropeza said of the exhibit, in a news release.
The exhibition spreads across 12 galleries and 13,000 square feet. It depicts pivotal moments of African American courage, conviction and creativity, according to the news release.
To tell the stories of achievement, the exhibit uses multimedia, artifacts, documents, photos and music as it centers on four main themes: the economic, socio-political, cultural and spiritual.
The exhibit includes:
- Cape Coast Castle in Ghana (Doors of No Return);
- Author Alex Haley's typewriter used to write Roots; personal effects of Malcolm X;
- The door key and chair from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.;
- Sports memorabilia from Michael Jordan, Arthur Ashe and Muhammad Ali.
The exhibit, developed under guidance of an advisory panel and organized by museums, will remain at the California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Drive, in Los Angeles, through April 15. It is scheduled for a 10-city tour during the next four years.
More information is at: www.AmericaIAM.org
