ANADARKO – The Community Library here announces the arrival of a six-week traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution. “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” will be on display from July 20 through Aug.
31, offering a unique exploration of the history and significance of democracy in the United States.
“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 has 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 such as campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
The exhibition delves into the evolving nature of democracy from 1776 to present day through the stories of people from different backgrounds and communities across the nation.
Via a combination of interactive displays, historical artifacts, and multimedia presentations, visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the democratic process and its impact on American society.
According to the Smithsonian, the exhibition contents include six standalone sections of Sintra panels over a wielded aluminum structure with exhibition elements such as an audio box, four televisions, three touchscreen monitors, three flipbooks, approximately 14 object cases, and three mechanical interactives.
The exhibition has 11 panels, each 7 feet tall and 8 feet wide, and the majority of them are interactive, Library Director Teresa Ferguson said. “A couple of them have TVs, and at three podiums visitors will be able to listen to recordings of people talking about voting and democracy in America.”
The Anadarko Community Library will host an opening ceremony on July 20. Scheduled speakers are state Rep.
Toni Hasenbeck; Anadarko Teacher of the Year Cody Farr, a history teacher; and former Anadarko Mayor Beverly Wilhoite.
The opening ceremony July 20 will last from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and will culminate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. George Plummer, news director with KOOL 105.5 Radio in Chickasha, plans to broadcast from Anadarko that morning from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Inside the library we will have a swag table; books about democracy, available for checkout; and Uncle Sam will be here, passing out donated coupons for free tacos,” Ferguson said.
In addition, entertainers are scheduled on the Main Stage from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day. They include Blake Taylor and Friends, a local band performing Christian music; Kiowa tribal member Patrick Redbird of Anadarko plays the flute and tells stories; Christopher Dysinger, from Verden, will be dressed in old-style Army regalia and talk about Thomas Jefferson; Tone Gyah Dae, of Caddo County, plays various types of music; and Richard Clift Jr., from Altus, is a musician.
“We are honored to bring this prestigious Smithsonian exhibition to our community,” Ferguson said. “This exhibition serves as a reminder of the importance of civic engagement and the diverse voices that shape our democracy. We encourage everyone to visit and participate in this enriching experience.”
Mayor Kelley McGlothlin and former library director Courtney Mayall, who now works for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, were instrumental in bringing the exhibition to Anadarko, Ferguson said.
Anadarko’s library is located at 215 W. Broadway St., telephone (405) 247-7351. Regular hours during the exhibition period will be:
• Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon.
The traveling Smithsonian exhibition has already been to two Oklahoma communities and is scheduled at four more.
After Anadarko, the exhibition will be at Cheyenne Sept. 7 through Oct.
19; at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University library in Weatherford from Oct. 26 through Dec. 7; and at the Bethany public library Dec. 14, 2024, through Jan. 25, 2025.