During the month of May, the Menlo Park Main Library will host a traveling exhibition, Wherever There’s a Fight: A History of Civil Liberties in California. The traveling exhibition features thirteen interpretive panels of photographs and texts telling the stories of ordinary people who fought violations of their civil liberties in California, reflecting the prejudices and political winds of their times.

The traveling exhibition is curated by Elaine Elinson and Stan Yogi, and is presented by Exhibit Envoy. In both the book and the exhibition, four central themes are evident: civil liberties are essential for democracy; while civil liberties struggles repeat over time, targeted groups change; civil liberties are in perpetual flux; and while the Constitution promises rights, every generation must fight for equality and justice to make those rights meaningful. 

Authors Elinson and Yogi appeared at the library on April 4 to officially kick off the exhibition period. Other related programs over the course of April and May will include a presentation on the World War II-era incarceration camps for people of Japanese-American ancestry, with a special appearance by two survivors of those camps. Experts on the topics of human trafficking and Islamophobia will also appear, as will members of the Social Justice Sewing Academy, a group of young people bridging artistic expression with activism.

All events are free and open to the public. Exhibition booklets with the full listing of events are currently available at the Menlo Park Main Library.