Practicing Democracy

Practicing Democracy, on view at the Flaten Art Museum September 13 – December 10, 2024, explores and promotes St. Olaf student civic engagement as the college marks its 150th anniversary. Decades of engagement and activism paved the way for St. Olaf College to lead voter engagement among U.S. colleges and universities today. Photographs and ephemera on loan from St. Olaf College Archives highlight non-violent protests, artistic responses to urgent issues, candidate campus visits, and get-out-the-vote campaigns from the early 1900s to the present. These artifacts offer a window into the college’s past and reveal that students have long been at the forefront of political activism. The exhibition continues with an immersive mock election experience where visitors can register to vote, cast a straw poll ballot, and discover ways to stay informed and engaged. Following the election on Tuesday, November 5, this gallery will transform into a “living room” for reflection and civil dialogue.