by Cieslafdn | Nov 26, 2014 | Social Justice Work
According to The New York Times‘ ArtBeat column, a new Center for the Study of Women’s History is planned by the New-York Historical Society, slated to open in late 2016. Among the new building’s features is a large-scale multimedia video that highlights significant female leaders from the past, including Zora Neale Hurston, who received a Rosenwald grant in 1935 to study anthropology.
You can read more about the project at ArtBeat. The editor of The Rosenwald Schools, Marian Sears Hunter, also worked on a great documentary about Zora called Jump at the Sun.
by Cieslafdn | Nov 26, 2014 | Social Justice Work
On September 10, 2014, until September 12, 2015, the Library of Congress exhibition “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle For Freedom”, will be on display. The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act. Interviewees from “The Rosenwald Schools” are part of the images in the exhibition, including Julian Bond and his colleague Rep. John Lewis, who is shown in a photograph on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington. Julian Bond provides narration for an introductory film for the exhibit on the Civil Rights Act and John Lewis appears in a second introductory film on the impact of the legislation. As a child, John Lewis attended a Rosenwald School in Alabama.
More details regarding the exhibition here.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signing The Civil Rights Act of 1964:
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
by Cieslafdn | Nov 26, 2014 | Rosenwald Grant Recipients
On Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s Behring Center, Aviva Kempner, filmmaker of “The Rosenwald Schools”, attended a Director’s Preview and Reception commemorated the opening of “Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College”. We reported here in August that it was likely that Woodruff was awarded his Rosenwald Fellowships in 1943 and 1944 on the strength of this work. Two of the Woodfruff works in this exhibit were painted under Rosenwald Fellowships, including the painting “Poor Man’s Cotton”. This support allowed Woodruff to move away from the segregated South, to New York City, where he worked and taught the rest of his life.
The murals depict chapters from African American history such as The Amistad Trial, and The Underground Railroad. Woodruff, like Julius Rosenwald, was a native of Illinois, born in Cairo.
The exhibit runs at the Museum of American History through March 1, 2015.
Woodruff working on the Talladega murals:
Photo credit: Library of Congress via FSA/OWI
by Cieslafdn | Nov 25, 2014 | School Restorations
Last night, my generous friends Matt and Lena Frumin held a parlor party fundraiser for the film at their home in Washington, DC. It was great fun meeting their friends and presenting the work in progress of The Rosenwald Schools.
Doug Singer and Jerimiah Cohen contributed delicious food to the dinner. Jerimiah has offered to make free delivery of food ordered to his company if you give $2,500 or more to the Ciesla Foundation.
Jeremiah Cohen of Bullfrog Bagels with Matt and Lena Frumin
Photo credit: The Ciesla Foundation, Nov 2014
Bagels and fish were provided by Bullfrog Bagels and the meat was catered by Singer’s Significant Meats.
Photo credit: The Ciesla Foundation, Nov 2014
Julian Bond, a consultant to the film, was also on hand to talk about his family’s connections to the Rosenwald Fund and how he inspired me to the make the documentary.
Councilmember-elect Brianne Nadeau, Lorie Masters, Councilmember Mary Cheh and Ward 3 school board member elect Ruth Wattenberg
Photo credit: The Ciesla Foundation, Nov 2014
In attendance were some of DC’s finest public officials. If you would like to hold a fundraising parlor party, please contact cieslafdn@gmail.com. We would be most grateful for help in finishing the film and you would be listed among the end credits. The Ciesla Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.
by Cieslafdn | Nov 17, 2014 | Aviva Kempner
Tuesday night (11/18), Aviva Kempner will be the instructor for a class at The National Museum of American Jewish Military History in Washington D.C. (1811 R Street NW) sponsored by the Jewish Study Center. Ms. Kempner, director of the upcoming documentary The Rosenwald Schools, will show excerpts from her film and discuss her film’s subject, Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald.
You can read more about Tuesday night and other upcoming Jewish Study Center courses here.
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