Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 2 3 50 A new exhibit, titled "The Black Press: Stewards of Democracy," gen- erated out of The Center's designa- tion as a Historic Site in Journalism in April 2023 by the Society of Professional Journalists. The Society honors the people and places that have played important roles in American journalistic history. "This is a permanent exhibit and a place to come and learn about the history of the Black Press," Rogers said. She designed the exhibit alongside Stan Cain, of Stan Cain Design. "Stan designs and he guides using his expertise and my writing and ideas," she said. The exhibit spans both of the first floor exhibit rooms and officially opened on October 7, 2023 to coin- cide with T. Thomas Fortune's 167th birthday on October 3. Through pow- erful artifacts and displays, the exhib- it shows the impact of the Black Press on American history, from the Black pioneers of journalism to modern media giants such as Oprah Winfrey. "There's more here than just writers and journalists," Rogers explained. "These activists advocated for equality and a democracy for everybody." The exhibit provides a glimpse into the past and a voice for Black experi- ences and the issues that mattered in the development of a true democracy. In addition to Fortune, other influen- tial leaders and champions of democ- racy are featured, including A. Philip Randolph, Ida B. Wells, Ethel Payne, and Alice Dunnigan. "The exhibit is important for school students and for people who study journalism or aspire to be a journalist," Rogers said. "It creates the synergy we want to have here." The Fortune Tellers Docent Training Program selected eight local high school and college students who were trained as tour guides over the summer, then hired as employees after the new exhibit opened. "They learned about African American his- tory and engaged with it in a way that promotes the Center's mission and helps them develop communi- cations and speaking skills as well as writing for our online magazine, Fortune Forward," explained Rogers. The Center hosts many programs and events throughout the year, including the T. Thomas Fortune Lecture Series, the popular Tiny Porch Concert Series, a book club, and the Speakers Bureau, which specializes in equity, diversity, and inclusion from reputable historians, activists, authors, and professionals. is on their website at www.tthomas- fortuneculturalcenter.org and pub- lished several times a year. "I love to write and tell stories," Rogers said. "My vision when we started was to have young people become engaged so they can flourish and grow their skills in art, commu- nications, writing, and history, and my vision has become real." Throughout the year, The Center also offers a variety of profession- al development opportunities and workshops for educators. In partner- ship with ProjectWriteNow and the Two River Theater, The Center will sponsor the first Art of Social Justice Intensive Forum this fall to comple- ment the exhibit's opening. Through hands-on transformative experiences and collaboration, area leaders and educators will fuse writing, history, performance, and cultural awareness to strengthen their classroom, school, and community voices. Thanks to the union of Rogers' passions and Fortune's stalwart leg- acy, The T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center stands as a paragon of both the power of voices for equality and democracy and a community resource where cultural ideas and history can be preserved, exchanged, nurtured, and realized. u Editor's Note: The T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center is located at 94 Drs. James Parker Boulevard in Red Bank. It is open Saturdays and Sundays 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM or by appointment. Suggested donation is $12. for adults and $5. for seniors and children. Pre-arranged school tours are available during the school year on Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 AM - 11:30 PM and 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. For more information, call (732) 383-5483; email: Shanel@tthomasfortunefoundation.org; or visit www.tthomasfortuneculturalcenter.org. The Center can be found on social media at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/TThomasFortune9; Twitter/X: @tthomasfortune9; Instagram: @t.thomasfortune. The Center welcomes volunteers to help on weekends and during special events, as well as financial sponsors and donations from individ- uals, businesses, and corporations to support their mission. Specific details and more infor- mation can be found on their website. Education is at the forefront of the Center's pursuits. School tours, both in person and virtual, teach stu- dents about the compelling history of struggle and the evolution of racial equality in America. Tour guides help students examine primary sources, including Fortune's prose, poetry, speeches, editorials, and correspon- dence with Booker T. Washington and President Theodore Roosevelt. Together, they learn how Fortune's voice is relevant in today's cultural attitudes, politics, social justice, civil rights, empowerment, and resistance that continues to define the phrase, "We the people." The Center's Youth Fortune Tellers Program provides internships, book awards, scholarships, and writing groups for high school students. The Center is unique in that it allows the young interns an opportunity to cre- ate many of the Center's communi- cations materials, such as brochures, forms, and content for the Fortune Forward magazine newsletter, which JERSEY SHORE PROFILE THESE WALLS CAN TALK, continued from page 49 Exhibit at the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center. Jill Ocone

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