Dayton International Peace Museum
 The Isaac Pollack House, home to the Dayton International Peace Museum | |
| Established | 27 May 2004 |
|---|---|
| Location |
208 W Monument Ave. Dayton, OH, 45402, USA |
| Coordinates | 39°45′46″N 84°11′48″W / 39.762883°N 84.196594°W |
| Type | Peace museum |
| Website | http://www.daytonpeacemuseum.org/ |
The Dayton International Peace Museum is a museum located in Dayton, Ohio, at 208 W. Monument Ave. It is the second peace museum to be created in the United States, with The Peace Museum in Chicago, Illinois, being the first.
The mission of the Dayton International Peace Museum is to inspire a local, national, and international culture of peace. Its exhibits and programs help people of all ages learn nonviolent responses to conflict. In addition to functioning as a traditional museum that displays peace-related objects of permanent value, the Peace Museum serves as a vibrant activities center for those who seek a community of peace. The Peace Museum features permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibits that highlight the rich history of and potential for nonviolent solutions to conflict.
Located in the historic Isaac Pollack House, the Peace Museum includes a library, an interactive children's room, and a gathering space where visitors can enjoy coffee, conversation, and events such as book discussions and story slams. In 2014, the 1876 structure was refitted with modern technology. The new equipment allows the Peace Museum to produce multimedia, interactive exhibits and to broadcast programs and virtual exhibits to multiple rooms.
The Peace Museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
History
The Dayton International Peace Museum was founded in 2004 by Ralph and Christine Dull, J. Frederick Arment, Lisa Wolters, and Steve Fryburg.
Ralph is an Ohio farmer and green energy specialist, and Christine is a former teacher. Both are long-time peace activists and members of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Christine was on the National Council of FOR for three years. Ralph received the 2009 Pioneer of Ohio Award from Green Energy Ohio and the National EPA Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2010. They are authors of the book: *Soviet Laughter, Soviet Tears: An American Couple's Six-Month Adventure in a Ukrainian Village, chronicling the Dulls' work in the USSR in 1989. Their goal was friendship with the Soviet people. They were profiled in Time Magazine and the NY Times. Ralph wrote Nonviolence Is Not For Wimps: Musings Of An Ohio Farmer. This work outlines basic strategies for modern nonviolent conflict resolution, describes the Dulls' trip to Iraq, and includes a sampling of Ralph's observations on peace and nonviolence.
J. Frederick Arment is an educator, marketing strategist, and writer. He is the author of the novel: *Backbeat: A Novel of Physics and "The Elements of Peace: How Nonviolence Works." He is Executive Director of International Cities of Peace.
Lisa Wolters is a graphic designer and ceramic artist.
Steve Fryburg is a Veteran for Peace, a former police officer, and director of the Missing Peace Art Space. He was a long-time director of the Museum.
Current Initiatives
In May 2015, the Peace Museum held its inaugural Peace Heroes Walk in downtown Dayton. The event brought together more than 700 people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate peace heroes and the ideals that guide them: rejection of violence, promotion of justice, and recognition of the interconnectedness of all people.
Inspired by the successful walk, the Peace Heroes Walk Around the World was founded. The purpose of this educational initiative, a collaboration with the Peace Museum, is to promote peace literacy through the stories of peace heroes. Paul K. Chappell, author of the Road to Peace book series, is the international spokesperson for the Peace Heroes Walk Around the World. Paul has been instrumental in developing the concepts of peace literacy, peace heroes, and peace hero ideals.
The Board of Directors
- CHAIR—William. P. Shaw, President, Crosscurrents International Institute
- VICE CHAIR—Robert Walker, President, Dayton Board of Education; Retired Executive Director, Wesley Community Center
- SECRETARY—Christine Dull, Author, Museum Founder, Retired Teacher
- TREASURER—Bob Hadley, Retired Attorney, Rotary Honoree
- MEMBER-AT-LARGE—Gary Mitchner, Sinclair Community College Poet Laureate; Professor Emeritus of English, Sinclair Community College
- Khurshid Ahmad, Professor Emeritus, WSU Raj Soin Business School
- Bashir G. Ahmed, President, Islamic Council of Ohio
- Ralph Dull, Author, Farmer, Museum and Green Energy Center Founder
- Derrick L. Foward, M.C.E., President, Dayton Unit NAACP
- Thomas Girvin, University Professor, Filmmaker, Media Consultant
- Charlotte Paugh, Former DIPM Volunteer Coordinator, Community Organizer, Chair of "Peace 240" Campaign to retire debt on Peace Museum building
- Kathy Rowell, Professor of Sociology, Sinclair Community College; Peace Leadership Education Advocate
- Mary Walker, Intervention Specialist, Jefferson Schools
Honorary Trustees
- Rev, John Dear S.J., peace activist, organizer, lecturer, retreat leader, and author/editor of 20 books on peace and nonviolence.
- Mary Eisenhower, President and Chief Executive Officer, People to People International
- Dick Gregory, comedian and civil rights activist
- Harville Hendrix, Relationship Counselor, Imago; author of many books, such as Getting the Love You Want
- Willie Nelson, musician and songwriter
- Doris Ponitz, former chair, DIPM board of trustees; supporter of community causes and programs such as the arts, diversity, local and international peace
- Judge Walter Rice III, Federal Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio; former chair, DIPM board of trustees
- Paul Rusesabagina, Rwandan hero depicted in “Hotel Rwanda”
- Martin Sheen, actor and activist
- Rev. C.T. Vivian, close friend of Martin Luther King Jr., active in Katrina clean-up
Professional Advisory Board
- Mark Meister, President, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
- John Fleming, former Vice President of Cincinnati Museums
- Peter van den Dungen, Coordinator, International Network of Peace Museums, England
See also
References
McCarty, Mary. Give peace a chance. Dayton Daily News.