The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is pleased to announce a new special exhibition, Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement presented by Texas Instruments, opening to the public on January 25, 2023.
An uprising in the summer of 1969 against police harassment at the Stonewall Inn, an illegal gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, propelled a grassroots movement and inspired a generation to protest and demand acceptance and equality.
Rise Up is a special exhibition developed by the Freedom Forum to mark the 50th anniversary of the June 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn. The exhibition explores the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S. and its origins in the protests that followed the raid.
“American history is filled with acts of bravery in the face of adversity, especially by those who stood up to unjust overreach from civil authorities. Stonewall is a testament to this fight for human dignity,” said Mary Pat Higgins, Museum president and CEO. “The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is proud to host this important exhibition developed by Freedom Forum and presented by Texas Instruments. We believe visitors will walk away with a new appreciation of the tireless march of the LGBTQ rights movement and how it continues to shape our world today.”
Through powerful artifacts, images, and historic publications, Rise Up chronicles the events leading up to the Stonewall Inn riots and other key moments in LGBTQ history, including the 1978 assassination of Harvey Milk, the AIDS crisis, the public coming out of U.S. Representative Barney Frank, the enactment of hate crime legislation, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the fight for marriage equality.
“Rise Up tells the story of one of the most important moments in the history of the LGBTQ rights movement and sets the foundation for the many battles fought since then to secure these rights,” said Carrie Christoffersen, vice president of engagement and curator at Freedom Forum. “We at Freedom Forum are excited to bring this must-see exhibition to the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, which is achieving its mission every single day by teaching visitors not only the tragic history of the Holocaust but the ongoing importance of human rights in every facet of our society.”
Rise Up also looks at popular culture’s role in influencing attitudes about the LGBTQ community through film, television, and music and examines how the LGBTQ rights movement harnessed the power of public protest to change laws and shatter stereotypes.
“Texas Instruments is delighted to be the presenting sponsor of this special exhibition and to help bring this important history to a new audience for a new era,” said Andy Smith, director of giving and volunteering at Texas Instruments Foundation. “Rise Up tells an inspirational story that is sure to resonate with Museum visitors and students as the fight for freedom and justice continues to inform our American values and consciousness.”
Match Group, a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections, provided significant support to make the exhibition possible, reflecting the organization’s commitment to valuing relationships of all forms. Additional funding was provided by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District and Fossil Group.
Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement was developed by the Freedom Forum, which fosters First Amendment freedoms for all.
The exhibition will remain on view until June 18, 2023.
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About the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
The mission of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference. Founded in 1984 by local Holocaust survivors, the institution now resides in a new building in downtown Dallas where visitors experience a deeper immersion into the history of the Holocaust, human and civil rights, their centrality to our democracy, and their vital importance in preventing events like those of the Holocaust from happening again. The 55,000-square-foot permanent home covers three floors, and the main exhibition includes four wings that teach about the Holocaust, the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after World War II, historical and contemporary genocides, and America’s civil rights journey. Please visit DHHRM.org or call (214) 741-7500 for more information