Diversity Awareness: Focus on the Hofstra University Museum Permanent Collections

“Today, more than ever before in our history, museums are an integral and essential part of the fabric of our civic life in America. Museums help us learn about ourselves, to understand each other, to explore diverse cultures around the world, and they provide us with the tools to face the challenges of the future, grounded in the lessons of our collective history. American museums are a cornerstone of learning and an essential part of any democracy.”

- Beth E. Levinthal, Executive Director, Hofstra University Museum

Diversity in the Outdoor Sculpture Collection

The Hofstra University Museums permanent collections include more than 70 works of sculpture which includes works by international artists such as Henry Moore and Constantino Nivola, as well as artists of color.

Examples include:

	Vinnie Bagwell (American, born 1957) Frederick Douglass Circle, 2008 Bronze, 53.5 x 33 x 28.25 in. Hofstra University Museum Collections University Purchase, HU2008.5
	Mihail Chemiakin (Russian/American, born 1943) Plato Having a Dialogue with Socrates, 1999 Bronze, 62 x 113.5 x 57 in. Hofstra University Museum Collections Gift of the Estate of Harold E. Yuker, HU99.7
	Manolo Pascual (Spanish, 1902 - 1983) Knight, 1955 Welded iron, 108.75 x 20.125 x 22 in. Hofstra University Museum Collections Gift of the artist, HU68.46

Cultural Diversity Awareness Program

Using the rich resources of the Hofstra University Museum’s permanent collections and thanks to the generosity of the Hofstra University Office of the President and other funders, the Cultural Diversity Awareness Program features a series of posters that highlight works from around the world dating from ancient to modern times. Located at a number of key campus locations, they provide Hofstra’s students with visually stimulating links to other cultures that promote diversity on campus while enhancing the educational experience. During daily activities such as walking to classes, students will learn about the art, geography, and history of cultures from six regions of the world.

Partnering with Margaret Abraham, Special Advisor to the Provost for Diversity Initiatives and Professor of Sociology, the Museum determined that each poster would include the image of the work of art or object, a map of the area of origin, with a highlighted area indicating the specific country where the work was created, artist information when known, medium, and didactic text and information that help explain the meaning of the work.