About This Exhibit
“City of Hope: Resurrection City and the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign” is a poster exhibition that details the work of many human rights groups, namely the African American Civil Rights group, during May and June of 1968 when the fight for social reform was in high gear. The campaign was created to draw people of all races together around the common issue of rampant poverty, despite the United States being one of the richest superpowers on the global stage. The main draw of the campaign was the creation of a tent city, known as Resurrection City, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where grassroots volunteers lived side-by-side and fought for livable wages, adequate housing, nutritious food, quality education, and healthcare that would benefit everyone. The exhibition reminds all that the fight against poverty has a long history and that there is still work to be done. Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the National Museum of Africa American History and Culture and funded in part with a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
City of Hope Display
Montezuma Public Library: The exhibition will be on display from Sept. 7-28, 2022, at the Montezuma Public Library, 500 E. Main Street, Montezuma, during library open hours. Free and open to the public.
Brooklyn Opera House: The exhibition was displayed at the Brooklyn Opera House Community Theatre on July 22–24, 2022, during the performance of “Mama Won't Fly.” The general public was able to view the display prior to each performance.
Drake Community Library: The exhibition was displayed from Feb. 1–Mar. 4 2022, at the Drake Community Library in Grinnell. Crafts and take-home activities relating to the exhibit were available to encourage engagement with visitors.