Georgia Magazine - July 2019 - 24

Change in
Rural America
The Smithsonian Institution exhibition comes to Georgia
Crossroads: Change in Rural America, an exhibition that examines the evolving
rural landscape, will tour six Georgia communities, starting in August.

By Arden Williams

ural communities in the U.S. experienced
dramatic change during the 20th century.
Today, the vast majority of the U.S. landscape is rural, but between 1900 and 2000, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas dropped
from 60 percent to 17 percent.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, explores how
rural communities have adapted and survived amid
this societal shift. The exhibition focuses on rural
America's identity, land, community, persistence
and response to change.
"Americans have lived at rural crossroads for
generations. This exhibition tour is a wonderful
opportunity for the people of Georgia to learn more
about the history and culture of our state's rural
communities," says Ann McCleary, director of the
Center for Public History at the University of West
Georgia in Carrollton and national curator of the
exhibition.
Through photos, objects, film, audio and interactive technology, the exhibition examines how
attachment to and interaction with the land formed
rural culture. A historic box radio informs visitors
about how electrification came to rural communities, and a touch-screen kiosk features music, audio
and video clips and interviews. Accompanying
programs explore the pleasures and challenges of
rural living and encourage conversations about local
history and goals for Georgia's future.

Georgia Magazine

July 2019

The exhibition will spend six weeks in each of six communities around
the state in 2019 and 2020. Host communities will collaborate with local
businesses and civic organizations on exhibits highlighting how small
towns can honor their past while focusing on opportunities for growth.
Photography contests and programs for area youths are also planned.
Crossroads is presented by Georgia Humanities, the Center for Public
History at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton and Tucker-based
Georgia Electric Membership Corp. The exhibition is part of Museum on
Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state
humanities councils nationwide.
Support for the Museum on Main Street program is provided by the
U.S. Congress. Additional support for the Georgia tour comes from the
Georgia Department of Economic Development and Trucks Inc. of Jackson.
For more information and a full list of sponsors, visit
georgiahumanities.org or contact Georgia Humanities at (404) 523-6220.
Arden Williams is a senior program officer for Georgia Humanities.

When you go
Visit Crossroads: Change in Rural America in the following communities:
* Thomaston, Aug. 24-Oct. 5, Thomaston-Upson Arts Council. tuacga.com
* McRae-Helena, Oct. 12-Nov. 23, Telfair Center for the Arts. tcfta.com
* Monticello, Dec. 7-Jan. 11, 2020, Monticello-Jasper Visitor Center.
jaspercountycoc.com
* Cuthbert, Jan. 18-Feb. 29, 2020, Andrew on the Square, Andrew College.
andrewcollege.edu
* Summerville, March 7-April 18, 2020, Summerville Train Depot.
summervillega.org
* Blue Ridge, April 25-June 6, 2020, Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association.
blueridgearts.net

JOHNNY ADOLPHSON / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Crossroads:

http://www.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM http://www.georgiahumanities.org http://www.tuacga.com http://www.tcfta.com http://www.jaspercountycoc.com http://www.andrewcollege.edu http://www.summervillega.org http://www.blueridgearts.net

Georgia Magazine - July 2019

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