"Separate is Not Equal" Exhibition at Mossel Bay | Western Cape Government

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"Separate is Not Equal" Exhibition at Mossel Bay

2 August 2012

An exhibition that captures the segregation history of the United States of America is currently on display at the Bartolomeu Dias Museum in Mossel Bay. The "Separate is Not Equal" exhibit was officially launched by the Public Diplomatic Relations Officer of the American Embassy, US Consul General Ms Cynthia Brown, on Wednesday, 18 July 2012.

This display pays tribute to the events of 1954, when many schools in America were racially segregated. It is enhanced by material from the Liberation Archives Collection and the Contemporary Arts Collection of Fort Hare University, depicting life and conditions under apartheid. Originally shown at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington DC to mark the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, the exhibit was curated for South African audiences by the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

The Bartolomeu Dias Museum is proud to display and present the segregation history to the public. The manager, Mr Mbulelo Mrubata, said although the exhibition is about American history, it is envisaged that South Africans can relate to this, as it is similar to the liberation struggle during the apartheid era.

The partnership between the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, PetroSA, Mossel Bay Tourism, the American Embassy and US Consul General in Cape Town has grown rapidly over the past few months and has contributed to the success of the opening. These entities are confident that this display will promote educational and economic growth in Mossel Bay. The exhibition will be on display until 31 December 2012.

Media Enquiries: 

Mbulelo Mrubata
Museum Manager
Tel: 044 691 1067
E-mail: mmrubata@westerncape.gov.za