The Catfish Row Museum in Vicksburg announced on Friday it is one of six Mississippi sites selected to host “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” a portable multi-kiosk exhibit.

Through a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) division, the Mississippi Humanities Council is bringing “Voices and Votes” to Mississippi communities, including Hattiesburg, Utica, Booneville, Pascagoula, Natchez and Vicksburg from March 2022 through January 2023.

The Catfish Row Museum will host the exhibition for six-week periods from November 2022 through January 2023. In addition to hosting the exhibition, The Catfish Row Museum will develop complementary local exhibits and a series of public humanities programs in conjunction with “Voices and Votes” through a grant from the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services.

“Through the Voices and Votes exhibit, we can bring people from different communities together, offering a safe space to provide accurate voting information and share stories of concern and hope,” said Linda Fondren, Executive Director.

“Everyone in our community and state is part of this ever-evolving story,” said Sara Carlson Dionne, Chairman of the Warren County Election Commission.

“Voices and Votes,” an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) division, takes a broad look at American democracy — from the American Revolution and expanding suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots. It explores who can vote, whose voices are heard, the responsibilities of American citizens, how we can encourage more people to participate in our democracy, and more.

Exhibition sections explore the origins of American democracy, the struggles to obtain and keep the vote, the machinery of democracy, the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot, and citizens’ rights and responsibilities. “Voices and Votes” features historical and contemporary photos, educational and archival videos, engaging multimedia interactives with short games, and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

The exhibition is part of the Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions.

The U.S. Congress has provided support for MoMS.

The mission of the Catfish Row Museum is to document and introduce, through material artifacts, oral history, public programming and the arts, a cultural heritage experience that showcases the unique and diverse aspects of Vicksburg and its relationship with the Delta.

The Catfish Row Museum aims to provide educational opportunities that enhance, preserve and promote the social, cultural and historical experiences of this Southern city at the tip of the Mississippi Delta.

To learn more about the Catfish Row Museum, visit catfishrowmuseum.org.