North Carolina Humanities is proud to present the Smithsonian Institution exhibition “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America”. From revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America. Six venues were selected by NC Humanities to host the exhibition around North Carolina in 2024-2025. As it travels, we are speaking with team members from each tour stop to discuss local issues, history, people, and stories, and to learn what visitors can expect to experience when they visit the exhibition in their space.
“Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” is on display at Henderson County Public Library in Hendersonville, North Carolina from December 9, 2024 – January 25, 2025. To learn more about how to visit the exhibition and attend related events and programs in Hendersonville, please visit: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/library/page/voices-and-votes.
The exhibition tour began at Iredell County Public Library in Statesville in April 2024 and traveled to Southwest Brunswick Branch Library in Carolina Shores, Cumberland County Public Library in Fayetteville, Alamance Community College in Graham, and Appalachian State University in Boone. Henderson County Public Library is the last stop on the tour. NC Humanities is working closely with Henderson County Public Library throughout the tour as Hurricane Helene-related recovery continues.
We connected with Trina Rushing, Director at Henderson County Public Library and Lisa Donaldson, Assistant Director at the Henderson County Public Library, to learn more about “Voices and Votes” at Henderson County Public Library.
Tell us about Henderson County Public Library!
Trina: Our library system is in Henderson County amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina. Our mild climate makes this area a busy tourist destination and sought after place to live. It offers year-round opportunities to enjoy hiking trails, waterfalls, beautiful mountain views, and apple orchards, as well as shopping and entertainment in the county seat, Hendersonville. Our library system includes the Main Library in downtown Hendersonville and 5 additional library branches located throughout the County. The library system offers the traditional books, audiobooks, movies, and online resources, as well as public computers, wi-fi, technology classes, and programs for all ages. Both residents and visitors alike are welcome to take advantage of the resources and services our library has to offer.
What can people expect to experience when they visit “Voices & Votes” at Henderson County Public Library?
Lisa: The exhibition will be on display at our Main Library at 301 N. Washington Street in downtown Hendersonville and available to view during the library’s regular operating hours – Monday through Thursday 9am-7pm, Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm. Alongside the exhibition, we are excited to display a selection of local newspaper headlines and photographs related to election activities throughout Henderson County history. While the exhibition is on display, we will also provide some fun voting activities and conversational boards for all ages at libraries across the county. We will also host several programs. On December 13 the Pyramid Brass Quintet presented a concert of well-known patriotic songs. On January 6-7, our Edneyville Library will screen the documentary, The Vote, about the women’s suffrage movement. Then, on January 8, Professors Jim Leloudis and Robert Korstad, authors of the book Fragile Democracy: The Struggle Over Race and Voting Rights in North Carolina will speak about the history of voting in North Carolina. All our events are free and require registration. You can reserve your seat for these events or view all upcoming programs on our website: www.hendersoncountync.gov/library.
Trina: We wanted to bring “Voices & Votes” to Henderson County because we know there are a lot of people in our community who will likely never visit a Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C. This exhibition offers that same experience at the local level for those individuals. This exhibition is very timely for our community, especially after witnessing how Hurricane Helene impacted our community and how the community adapted to ensure that everyone was able to vote in this recent election.
Why are the humanities, libraries, history, and culture important?
Lisa: Libraries are very important places. Libraries are one of the truly last free spaces where people can get information and come together. After Hurricane Helene hit our community, our library was able to provide many kinds of resources and information for people free of charge.
Trina: Libraries and the humanities are vitally important for providing cultural experiences that help us make informed decisions by examining the past, present, and future. We appreciate the opportunity to work with North Carolina Humanities to bring this Smithsonian exhibition to our community.
How can people support your work?
Trina: We would love for people to volunteer! We utilize volunteers in all our libraries and love to have people get involved. We encourage people to support the Friends of the Henderson County Public Library, either by shopping at their bookstore or volunteering. The bookstore directly supports the library so that we can offer our programming, cultural experiences, literary experiences, and more for everyone. Friends of the Henderson County Public Library also accepts donations of books and financial donations. Thank you!
About the exhibition: “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” is part of Museum on Main Street (MoMS), a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, including North Carolina Humanities, and local host institutions. “Voices and Votes” is based on a major exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. called “American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith”. North Carolina Humanities has worked with SITES for over a decade to bring MoMS exhibitions to North Carolina’s small towns and rural communities. Support for MoMS has been provided by the U.S. Congress. Thank you to our 2024-2025 statewide tour sponsors: Our State Magazine, the National Humanities Center, and the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, as well as the many local sponsors supporting the exhibition in their community. A full tour itinerary is available at nchumanities.org. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Photos provided by Henderson County Public Library.
