The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) has received a $250,000 grant from The Oprah Winfrey Foundation for the innovative education program, DocuFest.
The grant will support the digital transfer of 150 programs from the museum’s civil rights collection and create free online access to streamed television programs and lesson plans for students and teachers.
The collection highlights specific stories and events related to the earlier struggle for equality. Many programs showcase the influence and accomplishments of America’s civil rights leaders.
“We are grateful to The Oprah Winfrey Foundation for sharing our enthusiasm about the use of vintage television shows for educational purposes,” said MBC founder/president Bruce Dumont. .
He noted that preserving important radio and TV programs is a part of what the MBC does, “but sharing that content by turning programs into educational tools is how we maximize the influence of our collection.”
MBC, one of three such museums in the U.S., will re-open in spring 2006 in a new 70,000 sq. ft. building at State and Kinzie and will include new interactive exhibit galleries, expanded archives with a media caf?, working radio and television studios, and a gift shop.
