1950s America was an unprecedented era of affluence, as well as expected societal conformity. But within the sense of uniformity that pervaded American society at the time, seeds of dissent were growing.
The latest program series, The 1950s: Affluence and Anxiety in the Atomic Age, which runs through May 7 at the Lorenzo Cultural Center on Macomb’s Center Campus in Clinton Township, features several free events that take a look at the early stages of the civil rights movement.
On March 30 at 11 a.m., baseball historian William Anderson tells the story of Ozzie Virgil, the first person of color to play for the Tigers in 1958 and the first Dominican to play for a big league team In Ozzie Virgil Breaks the Tigers’ Color Line.
On April 8 at 11 a.m., storyteller Rosie Chapman highlights the life of Rosa Parks and reenacts the famous Montgomery bus incident and subsequent boycott, traces Martin Luther King Jr.’s role in the civil rights movement and highlights the issue of voting rights and literacy tests in Life and Times of Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement.
On April 27 at 11 a.m., Jocelyn Benson, professor at Wayne State Law School, presents Preserving the Promise of Brown (vs. Board of Education) in 2011 and Beyond.
On April 29 at 11 a.m., Thomas Sugrue, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, examines the dramatic transformation of Detroit during the 1950s as racial conflict intensified, suburbanization accelerated, and industry decentralized, downsized and collapsed in, Rust and Race: Detroit and the Myths of the 1950s.
On May 4 at 11 a.m., Lila Cabbil, president emeritus of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, leads an interactive workshop suitable for elementary school ages and up, focusing on the struggle for voting rights that black Americans faced in the 1950s and connecting youth leadership of today with civic responsibility in Rosa Parks: Next-Generation Literacy.
The Lorenzo Cultural Center is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Pre-registration is required and can be made by calling 586.445.7348 or by going online to www.LorenzoCulturalCenter.com. Group visits are welcome during the series and may be arranged by calling 586.445.7348.
About the Lorenzo Cultural Center
The Lorenzo Cultural Center (www.LorenzoCulturalCenter.com) explores the influences and experiences that shape our community's heritage, examining topics from a variety of perspectives and creating interactive opportunities for learning, celebration and entertainment. Located on Macomb Community College's Center Campus, Hall and Garfield Roads in Clinton Township, the cultural center is adjacent to the Macomb Center for Performing Arts.
About Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is one of the nation’s leading community colleges, providing learning experiences to more than 48,000 students annually. Macomb nationally ranks in the top two percent in the number of associate degrees awarded and as the largest grantor of associate degrees in Michigan. The college’s comprehensive educational programming includes pre-collegiate experiences, university transfer and career preparation programs, bachelor degree completion and graduate degree programs, workforce training, professional education and certification, and continuing education and enrichment opportunities.
Media Contact:
Tish Wirth
Communications & Community Relations
Macomb Community College
586.445.7560
wirthp@macomb.edu