Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit awarded to Georgia Writers Museum in a collaboration between the Smithsonian and Georgia Humanities. This exhibit is part of the Museums on Main Street program, which provides access to the Smithsonian Institution for small-town America.
Putnam County is the first of only five sites in Georgia to receive this exhibit designed to celebrate, educate, and inspire attendees. It highlights the history of democracy in America and how voices (advocacy and protest) and votes have shaped our county. This exhibit comes to Georgia during the 250th birthday of the United States—America250.
Georgia Writers Museum and the Old School History Museum are leading the community-wide effort to host the exhibit at the Putnam County Annex Building. In addition to the exhibit from the Smithsonian, an auxiliary exhibit will spotlight the history of democracy in Middle Georgia.
During the six-week run of Voices and Votes in Putnam County, community partners are hosting auxiliary exhibits, presenting panel discussions, discussing readings, staging choral events, and opening visual art shows designed to celebrate and discuss American democracy.
Voices and Votes will open to the public April 25 and will run through May 31. Attendance from across the state is expected, including dignitaries from state and local leadership during the opening reception. Watch this newspaper for more details on this important event.
— Contributed
