WASHINGTON, March 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Philanthropy
to support health and medicine is the focus of the updated exhibit
"Giving in America" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of
American History. Donations from The Estée Lauder Companies
Archives and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)
March 19 include artifacts such as a
2018 U.S. Mint commemorative coin designed to help raise funds and
a breast cancer awareness petition.
"Giving in America" is a long-term exhibit that looks at
philanthropy's role in shaping the United
States. It is part of the Smithsonian Philanthropy
Initiative, which launched in 2015 to explore philanthropy's
collaborative power through collecting, researching, documenting
and displaying materials related to the history and impact of
giving. The initiative hosts an annual "Power of Giving:
Philanthropy's Impact on American Life" symposium, which will take
place March 19 after the donation
ceremony.
In 1992, Evelyn H. Lauder, with
SELF magazine, used the Estée Lauder global brand to launch
a pink ribbon campaign to raise breast cancer awareness. A year
later, she founded BCRF; Lauder was able to motivate consumers to
help support the mission.
The donations to the national collections will include a
SELF magazine and Estée Lauder Companies "Count Me In"
petition with a pink ribbon from that first year; a Breast Cancer
Awareness donation card with enamel pink ribbon from October 1993; a BCRF press kit, also from 1993;
and an Estée Lauder pink ribbon makeup compact from 1997. BCRF is
donating three proof coins from the commemorative coin program: a
$5 pink gold coin, a $1 silver coin and a half-dollar coin made of
copper-nickel. Authorized by law, the coin prices include
surcharges that benefitted BCRF to further breast cancer research
in the U.S. and abroad.
"Health and medicine have long been central to philanthropy and
its expansive reach," said Amanda B.
Moniz, the museum's David M. Rubenstein Curator of
Philanthropy. "Diseases cross borders and so do the means to tackle
them, and, as a result, medical philanthropy has connected
Americans to a global effort. Many Americans are inspired to give
to medical causes because they hope to find a cure for a loved one
or honor someone who has passed. Whatever the reason, these gifts
contribute to medical ecosystems around the world."
"We hope these artifacts of breast cancer philanthropy will long
serve as a testament to visionaries like our founder Evelyn H. Lauder who worked tirelessly to end
breast cancer," said Myra Biblowit,
president and CEO of BCRF. "We are honored alongside our partners
at The Estée Lauder Companies to be part of the museum's collection
showcasing the power of donors, volunteers and partnerships to
improve outcomes and save lives."
Exhibition highlights include an 1852 medal from the Humane
Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for work in rescuing drowning
victims, an operating-room cap worn on a Liberia medical mission, a mosquito net to
prevent malaria, a 1973 New York Chinatown health fair poster and a
Rotary International "polio free" hat. Sneakers worn by Puerto
Rican actor and comedian Raymond
Arrieta in 2015 represent an annual charity walk around the
island to support cancer patients. Letters by signers of the Giving
Pledge known for their health and medical philanthropy will be on
view in the exhibit. In addition, visitors can peruse over 140
other Giving Pledge letters on an adjacent digital kiosk. The
Giving Pledge is a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals
and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to
philanthropy.
Online videos enhance exhibit content, including a March of
Dimes video that highlights the organization's pioneering
mass-fundraising techniques in the 20th century.
The Smithsonian Philanthropy Initiative is made possible through
a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a gift
from David M. Rubenstein, co-founder
and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group and chair of the
Smithsonian Board of Regents. Additional support comes from the
Fidelity Charitable Trustees' Initiative, a grant-making program of
Fidelity Charitable.
For more on the Philanthropy Initiative, visit
http://americanhistory.si.edu/philanthropy and the Giving and
Health webpage at
http://americanhistory.si.edu/giving-and-health.
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic
public outreach, the National Museum of American History explores
the infinite richness and complexity of American history. The
museum is located on Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th
streets N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25).
Admission is free.
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SOURCE Smithsonian's National Museum of American History