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New Milwaukee Art Exhibit Celebrates Anniversary Of ’60s Civil Rights Movement

Teacher, Students Took Trip Last Month

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Photo: Arts@Large gallery

An art exhibit opening in Milwaukee on Friday night celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Summer civil rights campaign.

The free exhibit, titled “Freedom Summer: 50 Years Later,” is at the Arts @ Large gallery. It features politically-inspired works by students and other local artists.

High school teacher Kelly DiGiacinto said many African-American students were unaware of their history, and of what African-American leaders went through to secure voting rights in Mississippi and other Southern states during those years.

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“The goal of a project like this is to educate and to remind the community of the potential for young people to really influence their social justice environment around them and for them to really understand the importance of voting,” DiGiacinto said. “So, I definitely think a goal of this project is to encourage young people, and to encourage people in general to the power of the vote and how important it is to have our voice be heard. “

The exhibit also highlights the Civil Rights Freedom Summer pilgrimage taken by DiGiacinto and high school students last month. The group visited several historical locations connected to the civil rights movement in the South.

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