*Article from Stroll Inside the Gates May 2026 Issue.*
Written by Chip Bell
What would your birthday celebration be like if you could live to be 250 years old? There would likely be a lot of celebrating, storytelling, and remembering. This is the 250th birthday of America—the land of the free and home of the brave. You had less than a 3% chance of being born in America—a lucky fact worth remembering and celebrating.
So, how can you and your family celebrate America’s 250th birthday? The massive Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit will open in Eatonton on April 25th. Voices and Votes is a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit awarded to the Georgia Writers Museum in collaboration with Georgia Humanities. Eatonton is the first of only five stops in the entire state. “We are honored to host this exhibit as part of our America250 celebrations, made even more meaningful by launching this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Melissa Swindell, Executive Director of Georgia Writers Museum.
Voices and Votes is great for families, field trips, individuals, and anyone interested in the history of American democracy. Many school and church groups are already signing up. The exhibit features many dynamic elements: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival videos; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, vintage photos, antique maps, and information; plus historical objects such as campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest materials.
Lake Country is chock full of compelling history. Did you know that one of the Tuskegee Airmen, Hiram Little, was from Eatonton? Or that formerly enslaved Abram Colby of Greensboro became a Georgia representative during Reconstruction? Joshua Hill of Madison kept General William Sherman from burning the town to the ground. And Lisa Cook of Milledgeville was the first Black woman to serve as a Federal Reserve Board governor.
This gigantic free exhibit is a springboard for discussions about countless stories of middle Georgia heroes and courageous people who made our democracy possible today. Our democracy demands action, reaction, vision, and revision. From revolution and suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story–the story of democracy in America.
The exhibit will be open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10-4pm, and on Thursdays from 2-8pm, starting April 25th and running through May 31st. It will be held at the Putnam County Administration Building at 117 Putnam Drive, with free parking and easy access from Highway 441. Log on https://www.georgiawritersmuseum.org/voices-and-votes/or call 706-991-5119 to learn more. It will be an experience that will make you proud to be an American.
Chip Bell is an award-winning, bestselling author and serves on the board of the Georgia Writers Museum.
