Public Forum
The Public Forum is the opening event for the National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award Celebration. This Forum, sponsored by International Paper, allows students and members of the Memphis community the opportunity to hear from leaders in the struggle for civil and human rights. It is during this program area students are awarded the Keepers of the Dream Award.
The Keeper of the Dream Award is a public recognition of selected youth in grades 6-12 who stand out by demonstrating extraordinary courage, compassion, leadership and/or service toward others. The award celebrates and recognizes the heroism of so many young people who will have the awesome responsibility of safeguarding our freedom while ensuring equal rights and opportunities for others.
Each Keeper of the Dream nominee must:
• Be a resident of Shelby County, TN
• Be a student of grade levels 6 – 12 for the academicl year
• Have demonstrated one of the following: courage, compassion, leadership and/or service
• Not have received honors or recognition from a local or national organization for this act
FAQs
How are winners of the Keeper of Dream Award selected?
Requests for nominations are distributed to schools, community organizations and non-profit agencies. Entries are reviewed and finalists selected by a jury of International Paper employees, museum staff and invited reviewers from the general public. A total of six recipients each receive a savings bond, IP logo merchandise including stadium jackets, and a group portrait of the youth winners with Freedom Award recipients.
Is there an admission charge to the Public Forum event?
No. Through the generous donation of supporting funds from International Paper, the Forum event is free to everyone.
Do schools have to pay their own transportation costs to attend?
No. Transportation expenses are also covered by support from International Paper.
Why aren’t video tapes of the program available for sale?
Copyright laws and other related intellectual property rights prohibit the museum’s ability to offer, on a consistent basis, duplication of the speeches and performances that take place. Since its inception, the Public Forum event has been conceived as a free public education program. Adding a retail component to the event could adversely affect the integrity of our efforts.
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