by Cieslafdn | Jan 22, 2015 | Social Justice Work
Currently over half of public school students in the US are living at or below the poverty line. This leaves the vast majority of those children at a disadvantage in school because academic success is the least of their worries. The Washington Post informs us that “Of the 27 states with highest percentages of student poverty, all but five spent less than the national average of $10,938 per student.” With programs like Head Start on the chopping block, one understands why the gap of academic achievement increases as the school-to-prison pipeline lives on.
Continuing to expect children who live in poverty to perform just as well as privileged children seems to have become counterproductive. While increasing the amount of funds allocated to public schools would be helpful, what would be even more helpful is establishing programs that give disadvantaged children an extra push to level out the educational “playing field”. Training teachers to be able to access the needs of each student is imperative. Additionally, after school programs, learning tools that can be taken home, clean clothes, and toiletries for each child who goes without would help them to feel normal if only during the school day.
Making a point to become aware of the lack of resources within impoverished communities of color, Julius Rosenwald would more than likely have given a sufficient amount of funds to each school. This individualistic approach would allow each school form a unique plan tailored to the needs of their students, unlike No Child Left Behind that ultimately does not help to narrow the achievement gap. The Rosenwald Fund encourages independence and self-reliance while financially assisting each person/program, which are what educational systems in the US desperately need to help disadvantaged students flourish.
To read the Washington Post article, click here.
Erica Marshall, Winter Intern
by Cieslafdn | Jan 17, 2015 | Social Justice Work
Art collector and community activist Peggy Cooper Cafritz has been described as “resilient and so voracious.” Five years ago, a fire destroyed her home, as well as her collection of contemporary African and African-American art. The collection contained works from the likes of Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Hank Willis Thomas, and Jacob Lawrence, who received a Rosenwald grant in 1940. The collection had over 300 works and was worth millions of dollars. Instead of dwelling on her tremendous loss, Peggy decided to continue collecting art that she loved. Her new condominium is saturated with artwork, so much so that it can be hard to find the furniture.
To find out more about Peggy Cooper Cafritz, click here.
by Cieslafdn | Jan 16, 2015 | Social Justice Work
Ironically on the same day of what would have be Dr. Martin Luther King’s 86th Birthday, Selma is ignored in most categories for Oscar nominations, only getting nominated in the Best Song and Best Picture categories. David Oyelowo is not recognized for his exceptional portrayal of Dr. King and all were surprised when Ava DuVernay did not become the first black woman to be nominated in the Best Director category.
David Oyelowo, photographed on the set of ‘Selma’
Photo Source: www.independent.co.uk
The 87-year old awards show is historically known for having very little diversity amongst the list of nominees as a result of who is allowed to vote. The 6,000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are over 90 percent white and over 70 percent male. Most serve life terms, leaving little hope for a multicultural list of nominees in the future.
Despite AMPA votes, this film still stands as the most politically influential of the year, addressing concerns of whether the fight for racial equality is over or if there’s still much more work to be done. Debuting at a very necessary time with the current protests against police brutality, Oyelowo represents Dr. King very well and served as an inspiration for civil rights activists new and old.
For a list of all of the 2015 Oscar nominations go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/01/15/2015-oscar-nominations-complete-coverage/
Erica Marshall, Winter Intern
by Cieslafdn | Jan 15, 2015 | Rosenwald Fund
On a National Geographic-Liblad cruise, Stephanie Deutsch got the chance to see Antarctica, where there is a mountain named after Julius Rosenwald. The mountain “forms a distinctive landmark between the heads of the Baldwin and Gallup glaciers in the Queen Maud mountains.” It was discovered by Rear Admiral Richard Byrd in 1929, who named it after Rosenwald. It is an example of how Rosenwald’s influence can be found all over, or, as Aviva Kempner likes to say, “all roads lead to Rosenwald.”
Click
here to read more about Mount Rosenwald on Stephanie’s blog.
by Cieslafdn | Jan 15, 2015 | Rosenwald Fund
For the first time since 1994, all sixty panels from Jacob Lawrence’s Migration of the Negro (commonly known as the Migration Series) will be reunited and displayed in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) at the Downtown Gallery in New York City. In an exhibition entitled “One-Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series and Other Visions of the Great Movement North,” the display will be open to the public from April until September of 2015. In 2016, the panels will go to the Phillips Collection here in Washington, DC to be shown.
These narrative paintings were created during the early 1940s, a time when many African Americans were migrating from the Jim Crow South to the North. Only 23 years old when creating this work of art, Lawrence used resources provided from the Rosenwald Fund and to travel to the South and witness firsthand the segregation and blatant racism in rural communities to serve as his inspiration for the series. Additionally, he addresses the struggles and triumphs of the migration using his personal experiences in the North as a child and young adult.
Although Julius Rosenwald expressed very little interest in art, his wife Adele Rosenwald Levy collected art and was drawn to Lawrence’s work and more than willing to make a contribution. She specifically loved panel 46, the reason why the even-number panels are in MoMA and the odd-number panels are located here in the Phillips Collection. This acquisition by Adele and the Rosenwald fund helped Lawrence to become the major figure in American art that he is still considered to be today.
For more info about the Migration Series, Jacob Lawrence and how to see the panel displays click below to view this article by the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/arts/design/jacob-lawrences-great-migration-series-returns-to-moma.html
Erica Marshall, Winter Intern
by Cieslafdn | Jan 7, 2015 | Rosenwald Grant Recipients
Sixty years ago, on January 7th 1955, famed contralto Marian Anderson made history as the first African American to perform at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Anderson’s career was launched in the early 1930s when she travelled to Europe on two Rosenwald grants (you can read about her trip to Europe on a previous blog). Her success in Europe followed her back to America, where Anderson became a national icon. She is perhaps best remembered for her historic 1939 concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
You can read more about Marian Anderson’s 1955 Met Performance
here.
Marian Anderson, photographed by Gordon Parks in 1943
Photo source: Farm Security Administration via Library of Congress
by Cieslafdn | Jan 6, 2015 | Rosenwald Fund
Today marks the 83rd anniversary of Julius Rosenwald’s death. W.E.B. DuBois, co-founder of the NAACP and Rosenwald grant recipient, memorialized Rosenwald in The Crisis magazine by writing, “He was a great man, but he was no mere philanthropist. He was, rather, the subtle, stinging critic of our racial democracy.” Remembered in his own time for his remarkable deeds, Rosenwald’s accomplishments are hardly known today. We’re so excited to be premiering the film on February 25th at the Washington Jewish Film Festival and finally bringing Rosenwald the recognition today he so deserves.
Rosenwald’s name is slowly becoming a household name again. After sitting over a decade in disrepair, the Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments have
finally received a permit to be renovated. Known to its original residents as The Rosenwald Apartments, the restored complex will honor its roots and take the name The Rosenwald Courts. Although this project will take many years to complete, we’re glad that Rosenwald’s name will once again be known in the south side of Chicago. The world needs many more Rosenwalds.
The Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments in 2007
Photo credit: SilverRaven7 (flickr) by Cieslafdn | Jan 6, 2015 | School Restorations
We recently filmed our last interviews for the film, sneaking them in before the end of the year. David Stern, Julius Rosenwald’s great-grandson, and Julian Bond graciously sat for some additional insights. David Stern offered more insight into Rosenwald’s life and career, as well as his great-grandfather’s innovative approach to philanthropy. Civil rights leader Julian Bond contextualized Rosenwald’s involvement in African American issues in the early part of the 20th century and detailed the many ways the Rosenwald Fund supported African Americans.
From left to right: Marian Hunter, Julian Bond, David Stern, Aviva Kempner
Photo credit: The Ciesla Foundation
Marian Sears Hunter, depicted on the left, is doing a tremendous job editing the film. Held hostage in the editing room for weeks, Hunter is proving once again her skills. She edited The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg.
We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing over 100 scholars, activists, Rosenwald school alumni and their descendants, and Rosenwald family members for this film. With our final interviews complete, and the production stage of the film over, we can focus all our energy on the final, finalediting the film and getting ready for the premiere on February 25th as part of the Washington Jewish Film Festival. See you there!
by Cieslafdn | Jan 6, 2015 | Ciesla Foundation
After doing a great job as researcher and associate producer of the film for the past three years at The Ciesla Foundation, Michael is leaving today to further his education at New York University. He will be studying Public Administration. He could write a text working at this 501c3 and will be missed. As a loyal Chicago White Sox fan, and having attended the University of Chicago, he was well versed in the history of the Windy City and Julius Rosenwald’s contributions.
Michael Rose
Photo credit: The Ciesla Foundation
by Cieslafdn | Jan 6, 2015 | Ciesla Foundation
From left to right: Marian Hunter, Julian Bond, David Stern, Aviva Kempner.
Photo Credit: The Ciesla Foundation
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