MotorCities National Heritage Award of Excellence
Driving into History: Black Women, Cars, and Courage is traveling the country with a prestigious new honor: the 2026 MotorCities National Heritage Area Award of Excellence in Education/Interpretation.
The Kalamazoo-based Merze Tate Explorers organization received recognition for its innovative approach to interpreting automotive history and introducing new audiences to the often-overlooked contributions of Black women throughout the 20th century. Inspired by the book Picturing Freedom: African Americans and Their Cars by the Burns Archive, the exhibition features nearly three dozen historic and reimagined photographs spanning the 20th century. Youth recreated images of Black women and girls alongside period automobiles with help from the largest car museum in North America.
Congratulations, Explorers!
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