New York, May 26 – Community Works, the New York City nonprofit arts education organization, announces today that it will produce the New York premiere of acclaimed Maine artist Robert Shetterly's traveling art exhibition, Americans Who Tell the Truth. The portraits will be displayed at two historical locations: The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave. at 112th Street) and Low Library at Columbia University (535 W. 116 Street at Broadway) from June 2 through July 27. The exhibition is supported by Con Edison.

Americans Who Tell the Truth is a remarkable collection of 80 portraits – 36 of which will be divided between two historical locations. The exhibition highlights important Americans past and present whose dignity, courage, honesty, generosity, compassion, wisdom, tolerance, belief and relentless quest for truth has shaped this country. The exhibition honors American luminaries – including local Harlemites – such as activist Malcolm X; playwright, actor, activist Ossie Davis; retired police detective, author and lecturer, Frank Serpico; journalist, host of Democracy Now, Amy Goodman; historian, playwright and social activist Howard Zinn; author and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston; President Abraham Lincoln; religious leader William Sloane Coffin; actor and activist Paul Robeson; author and journalist Bill Moyers; author and playwright Langston Hughes; educator and children's advocate Marian Wright Edelman; boxer Muhammad Ali and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Americans Who Tell the Truth has traveled to schools, universities, churches and various community groups around the country since 2003. Mr. Shetterly began the Truth Tellers series in the fall of 2001, shortly after 9/11, as a way to "channel [his] anger and grief." Its inspiring portraits are intended to create dialogue among citizens of this country about what we value most in a democratic society and the importance of truth-telling.

For more information, visit www.americanswhotellthetruth.org

DATES: JUNE 2-JULY 31, 2005
THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue
Sunday-Friday, 7am-6pm

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LOW LIBRARY
116th & Broadway
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

SPECIAL EXHIBITION AND RECEPTION EVENT!
Tuesday, June 7th, 2005
6PM Exhibition
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine

7PM Exhibition & Reception
Columbia University Low Library

Special Performances
-A dramatic tribute to Sojourner Truth with drama students from the Southwest Missouri State University
-Musical performance by celebrated jazz artist Joey Morant

RSVP by calling Community Works at 212-459-1854

DIRECTIONS TO EXHIBITION SITES
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
The Cathedral is located at 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, one block east of Broadway. By subway: Take the #1 or #9 train to the 110th Street/Cathedral Parkway station. By bus: Take the M4 or M104 to Broadway and 112th Street or the M11 to Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street.

Columbia University Low Library
By subway: Take the #1 or #9 train to 116th Street. You can also take the #2 and #3 express trains to 96th Street but be sure to transfer to the #1 or #9 local. Five bus lines serve the Columbia neighborhood: M4, M5, M11, M60, M104.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN AMERICANS WHO TELL THE TRUTH
-Self-guided tours
-Symposia and special events
-Customized Workshops and interactive tours: Educator-led tours can be designed around a select group of truth-tellers or can introduce a special guest truth-teller. Workshops can include artmaking or social action. A typical session is 60 minutes. Programming is ideally suited for 5th-grade through high-school students as well as adults. Full curriculum materials will be available online. To arrange workshops, call Linda Muller at 212-459-1854.

At the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, the honorees are:

Susan B. Anthony
James Baldwin
Wendell Berry
Cesar Chavez
Shirley Chisholm
Frederick Douglass
Marian Wright Edelman
Ralph Ellison
Chief Joseph
Jonathan Kozol
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Arthur Miller
Rosa Parks
Eleanor Roosevelt
Mark Twain
Harriet Tubman

At Columbia University Low Library, the honorees are:

Muhammad Ali
William Sloane Coffin
Ossie Davis
W.E.B. DuBois
Dwight Eisenhower
Amy Goodman
Fannie Lou Hamer
Langston Hughes
Zora Neale Hurston
Helen Keller
Dorothea Lange
Lewis Lapham
Bill Moyers
Paul Robeson
Frank Serpico
Sojourner Truth
Walt Whitman
Judy Wicks
Malcolm X
Howard Zinn

Presented by Community Works in association with Columbia University, the Harlem Arts Alliance, with support from Con Edison

Special thanks to Marcia Sells and Columbia University, and Tom Miller and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, for providing a home to this historic exhibition.