Exhibit documenting community’s recovery from Oregon District Shooting opens Friday at Peace Museum

A new exhibit featuring photos and memories that document the community’s recovery from the 2019 Oregon District Shooting opens Friday at the International Peace Museum.

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The exhibit, “2019: The Oregon District - From Dayton Strong to Gem City Shine,” includes photos from the massive pilgrimage to Fifth Street that featured speeches from Mayor Nan Whaley and Gov. Mike DeWine. Crowds shouted “Do Something!” over much of DeWine’s comments, referring to the opinion that politicians were not doing enough to stop the nation’s continuing problem of gun violence.

Nine people died in the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 2019, outside of the Ned Peppers bar on Fifth Street. Police killed the gunman in a hail of gunfire within minutes after the carnage began.

The exhibit, opening as the city is set to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the mass shooting, also features large-format images from Dave Chappelle’s, Gem City Shine free concert on Wayne Avenue downtown. The lineup included Jon Stewart of the Daily Show and musical performances by Chance the Rapper, Thundercat, and the legendary Stevie Wonder.

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Additional photos include Springfield native John Legend, who performed in a private show at Blind Bob’s for the Oregon District food and beverage businesses affected by the tragedy.

On the first anniversary of the mass shooting, the Peace Museum released the book, Facing Violence: It’s Always Close to Home for Someone, written by 18 citizens directly affected by the shooting. The work was released by amazon.com in cooperation with The Facing Project, based in Muncie, Indiana. Whaley and Kevin Kelly, now the outgoing museum directors wrote forewords for the book. U.S. Rep. Mike Turner met family members and spoke publicly about the anniversary and book release.

The museum’s mission is to “inspire people to work for greater peace and compassion through education and collaboration,” according to the facility’s website. The museum, founded in 2004, raises awareness of nonviolent strategies for achieving peace and honors the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war in Bosnia.

The Oregon District exhibit at the Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., continues through September, which has been designated the International Month of Peace.