“Voices and Votes is a wonderful way to celebrate Jamestown’s rich history and the Center’s mission while creating an opportunity to work with our partners to bring a Smithsonian exhibit to the area,” said Robert H. Jackson Center President Kristan McMahon. “This opportunity perfectly aligns with our mission to educate our communities on issues of justice and civic participation, and the Center is the perfect venue to host this exhibit. Jamestown was the home of the American Voting Machine Company, and we’re looking forward to working with the Fenton History Center, Chautauqua County Historical Society, Chautauqua Institution, Roger Tory Peterson Institute, and other community partners to tell the story of our region as a seat of the democratic process.” 

The Robert H. Jackson Center is one of 12 museums participating in A New Agora For New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy (The Agora Project). This state-wide project brings the Voices and Votes: Democracy in Americaexhibition by the Museum on Main Street (MoMS) a part of the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES), a Humanities Discussion Series, and professional development resources to participating museums across the state. 

The Voices and Votes exhibition is adapted from American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Voices and Votes includes historical and contemporary photographs, educational and archival video, engaging multimedia interactives, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material. 

To learn more about the extraordinary local, national, and international contributions of Robert H. Jackson, the residents of Jamestown, and Chautauqua County, the public is invited to visit the Center at 305 East 4^th Street in Jamestown, NY. Hours of operation are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturdays through the exhibition’s tenancy. Admission is free, but donations are welcome to support the free programs the Center provides to all ages throughout the year. 

Local support for Recordings in Progress and Voices and Votes exhibits comes from the Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency’s LiveCHQ initiative and the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development.

Voices and Votes is a Museum on Main Street (MoMS) exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. It’s based on an exhibition by the National Museum of American History. It has been made possible in New York State by the Museum Association of New York. Support for MoMS in New York State has been provided by the United States Congress and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. 

Additional funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation supports public events, community exhibitions, free public lectures, workshops for teachers, and community discussion programs. 

Learn more about the New York State tour of the Voices and Votes exhibition: https://agoranewyork.org/ and preview the full schedule of programming and events happening at the Robert H. Jackson RHJC.

About Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit sites.si.edu.

About The Robert H. Jackson Center

The Center advances Justice Robert H. Jackson’s legacy through education, including live presentations, exhibitions, multimedia, research, and scholarship that demonstrate the relevance and applicability of Justice Jackson’s ideas to present and future generations. 

To learn more, visit roberthjackson.org.

About the Museum Association of New York

The Museum Association of New York is New York’s representative of the MoMS program, an outreach program of the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service, and is the only statewide museum service organization with more than 750 member museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. MANY helps shape a better future for museums and museum professionals by uplifting best practices and building organizational capacity through advocacy, training, and networking opportunities. Visit www.nysmuseums.org and follow MANY on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @nysmuseums

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov. 

About the William G. Pomeroy Foundation

The William G. Pomeroy Foundation® is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history; and working to improve the probability of finding appropriate donor matches or other life-saving treatments for blood cancer patients. Established by Trustee Bill Pomeroy in 2005 to bring together his two greatest passions, the Pomeroy Foundation is a private, philanthropic organization located in Syracuse, N.Y. As the nation’s leading funder of historic roadside markers, the Pomeroy Foundation has awarded more than 2,100 grants for markers and bronze plaques in 48 states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about the Pomeroy Foundation, visit wgpfoundation.org.

About Humanities New York

Using dialogue, reflection, and critical thinking, Humanities New York applies the humanities to strengthen democratic society. Established in 1975 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities New York is a private 501(c)(3) organization that may receive federal, state, and private funding. To learn more about Humanities New York, visit humanitiesny.org.