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Oakland Museum of California Announces Extension of Popular Exhibition All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50

(OAKLAND, CA) January 6, 2017—The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announces the extension of the major exhibition All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50, now on view through February 26, 2017. The popular exhibition—which opened to the public on October 8, 2016 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Party—explores stories of human achievement and struggle to support the needs of the oppressed. All Power to the People also delves into aspects of the Party that are not often told, such as its survival programs, the presence of women and rank and file members, its use of media and art, and its founding Ten Point Program that continues to inform and inspire contemporary movements of change today.

Leading up to the final weeks of the exhibition, OMCA will present Perspectives at OMCA | Two Generations of Black Struggle on January 21, 2017 at 2 pm. Celebrated Oakland poet, educator, playwright, and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge and Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale will share stories and reflections the day after the new US President is sworn in during a rare in-person discussion. Tickets are $20 (all ages) and $18 for Members. Gallery admission purchased separately. 

“This exhibition has become a space for our visitors to reflect on the Black Panther’s complex history and examine significant contemporary issues of our time,” says exhibition curator Rene de Guzman. “The exhibition’s themes have strong ties to our country’s current political landscape—we’re so honored to have the opportunity to hear from Bobby and Chinaka at this pivotal moment in America.”

All Power to the People and corresponding program Perspectives at OMCA showcase OMCA’s continued commitment to examining topics and themes that are socially relevant and meaningful to the community through exhibitions, programs, and partnerships. For more on the exhibition and program, visit museumca.org.

All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 is supported in part by the Ford Foundation, the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, Sheila Duignan and Mike Wilkins and members of the Donor Forum including Eileen Ash and Frank Arthur, Quinn Delaney and Wayne Jordan, and Peter Pervere and Georgia Cassel.

CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE LIST:
COMMUNITY EVENTS; ART EVENTS

All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50
October 8, 2016–February 26, 2017
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) presents a major exhibition coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party’s founding on October 15, 1966, in Oakland. Presenting a contemporary view of the Black Panther Party’s legacy from multiple perspectives, All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 shows how the Party continues to inspire culture, social activism, and community empowerment efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. Designed to create empathy and emotional resonance, the exhibition explores the Black Panther Party as a necessary, heroic, and human response to societal needs. Informed by insights from former Black Panthers, artists, scholars, and community members, the exhibition features art installations, historical photographs and media presentations, artifacts, and contemporary works of art.

Perspectives at OMCA | Two Generations of Black Struggle
Saturday, January 21, 2017, 2 pm
The day after the new US President is sworn in, Bobby Seale, the co-founder of the Black Panther Party, will share his stories, his reflections, and his strategies of the politics of the revolution with Oakland poet, educator, playwright, and screenwriter Chinaka Hodge. Hear from these two speakers whose experience includes a range of cultural and political work as they share their perspectives on the past and present iterations of Black struggle in the US and Oakland. Seating is limited. Advance tickets required. Tickets are $18 for OMCA Members, $20 public. Gallery admission purchased separately.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history, and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic, and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum. museumca.org

 

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