For release: Oct. 29, 2003

For more information contact Jeff Mammenga, 773-6000

Cultural Heritage Center hosting discussion on racial and ethnic tensions

PIERRE--The South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center will host a public discussion on “Racial and Ethnic Tensions: What Should We Do?” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2.

The discussion will be led by moderator Dr. Helen Jenkins from South Dakota Issue Forums, a project of the Chiesman Foundation For Democracy, Inc. in Rapid City.  There is no charge for the program, which is in the center’s education room.

“Increasing understanding across cultural and racial divides has been in the spotlight in South Dakota recently with the “Gathering & Healing of Nations” organized by Gov.  Mike Rounds and Sen. Tom Daschle held on October 6,” said Jay D. Vogt, director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. “This will be another opportunity to discuss these important topics.”

 Attendees will consider and discuss three approaches to help find common ground for action on troubling racial and ethnic problems. The public discussion is sponsored by the South Dakota State Historical Society and compliments the traveling exhibition, Everything I Say Here is Straight and True:  The Autobiographical Drawings of Chief White Bull, which is on display through Dec. 14 at the Cultural Heritage Center. With Nov. 2 being the first Sunday of the month, there is also free admission to the museum.

            Hours at the Cultural Heritage Center are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 1 to 4:30 p.m. weekends. The Cultural Heritage Center is the headquarters of the South Dakota State Historical Society, an office of the Department of Tourism and State Development.

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