The life of Helen Suzman, one of South Africa’s most energetic opponents of apartheid, will be the focus of a graphic panel exhibition at Rogers State University from April 19-28.
RSU will hold an opening reception in the Centennial Center rotunda at 6 p.m. Monday, April 19 to celebrate the exhibit. The reception is free and open to the public and will feature remarks by Jeff Matthews, program director for Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice and refreshments.
The exhibition, which made its debut at Georgetown University, has crossed the country for more than a year and will arrive in Claremore on Monday.
The exhibition is free and open to the public at RSU’s Centennial Student Center from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Suzman was a member of the South African Parliament from 1953-1989 and was the sole voice opposing apartheid during the period (1961-1974) when she was the governing body’s only member of the Progressive Party.
The exhibition explores nearly four decades of Suzman’s life and vision through photographs, personal letters, quotations from speeches and news articles. It tells of the animosity, anti-Semitism and intimidation Suzman faced throughout her career. It also highlights her friendship with Nelson Mandela, which began in 1967.
Organized by the Isaac and Jessie Caplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town, this is the first presentation of the exhibition in the United States. The U.S. tour is sponsored by the Dobkin Family Foundation and the Tolan Family Foundation.
P. Vincent LoVoi and Joel Kantor have brought the tour to Oklahoma in partnership with The Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice. OCCJ is a human relations organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism. It promotes understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution and education. For more information, visit www.occjok.org.