The Freedom Express Mobile Museum, which was located outside of Taylor Hall on Tuesday, illustrated everything the First Amendment related to.

The museum displays information about First Amendment Rights and historical cases including some information, which challenged those rights.

Neelam Jumma, Freedom Express administrator said the museums’ purpose is to inspire and engage middle and high school teens about their rights, especially their First Amendment rights.

Jumma said Girls State invited Freedom Express to hold a demonstration on campus and also for Boys State last week.

“For the summer, we’re traveling to various locations across the state of Illinois, but once the fall starts, we’re going to be concentrated in the Chicagoland,” she said.

Along with descriptions of First Amendment cases, computer-based interactive consoles and a video about the marketplace of ideas were shown inside the museum.

One of the virtual displays was “Songs People Didn’t Want to Hear,” which showcased albums from the 1950s to 2000.

Some of these albums included Ice T’s “Body Count,” which featured the song “Cop Killer.”

All copies of the album were recalled because of the lyrics about murdering officers.

Another display titled “Draw the Line” dealt with freedom of speech and expression.

The display depicted an example of a student who sent threatening e-mails to 60 Asian students.

People running the interactive had to choose whether or not this, and other cases, were “crossing the line.”

In addition, in the physical display marketplace of ideas section the museum included an example of wedding scene with same sex figurines, a “Crimes Committed Against God” plaque and a “Smokers Have Rights Too” ashtray.

Avis Coleman, a senior history major said she visited the Freedom Express on Tuesday.

Coleman said the museum had interesting displays, but she believes the design is mainly for children because of the familiar historical references, such as Martin Luther King Jr.

“I expect adults to know all of these things,” she said. “I think it’s important that everybody should know their history.”

Mike Pellicane, another Freedom Express administrator, said the Freedom Express is sponsored by the McCormick Foundation which educates students and other citizens about their rights and freedoms.

“Anyone looking to take the online lesson plans, you can tell your teachers to get the interactives on FreedomExpress.org,” Pellicane said.

Alesha Bailey can be reached at 581-7942 or at

Nelam Jumma and Mike Pellicane wait outside of the Freedom Express bus to greet visitors. (Alesha Bailey

(more…)