A traveling Smithsonian exhibit is making several stops in Arkansas over the next few months. The exhibit, titled “Voices & Votes: Democracy in America,” makes its first stop in Little Rock at the Arkansas State Capitol building.
Ann Clements, education director for the Arkansas Humanities Council, said the exhibit traces the history and struggles within American democracy from the Revolutionary War.
“This is not a politics exhibit, this is an exhibit about how democracy came about, how did this great experiment, this great leap of faith survived for 200 years. It talks about the different ways that average citizens have always been involved with our democracy,” she said.
According to a press release from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office, the exhibit features historical and modern-day photos along with artifacts like campaign and voter memorabilia. Clements said the campaign memorabilia is the centerpiece of the exhibit.
“We thought it was very important to bring this exhibit here and offer it as an opportunity for Arkansans to learn about how the humanities connect with democracy and how they are a part of that,” she said.
Clements said the exhibit is a partnership between the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program.
“We pay for transportation, some programming that deals with the exhibit and we’re offering grants for teachers to bring their students on field trips to come see the exhibit. We’re also offering professional development for teachers,” she said.
Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston, a Republican, said he is excited about having the exhibit at the Capitol.
“I hope it will encourage more people to get involved and exercise their right to vote,” Thurston said.
During the 2022 midterm elections, 50.81% of registered voters in Arkansas voted, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension. In the last presidential election, voter turnout in the state was 66.92%.
The exhibit is on display in the State Capitol’s fourth floor gallery through May 23 then heads to several other Arkansas cities including Pine Bluff, Siloam Springs, Blytheville and Batesville.
