Cameron Village Library to Host Elizabeth I Exhibit June 30-August 11

6/22/2006

Cameron Village Regional Library is one of only 40 libraries in the United States selected to host "Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend," a national traveling exhibit that focuses on the brilliant monarch who ruled England from 1558 until 1603. The exhibit opens with a special celebration Friday, June 30, at 6 p.m., and will be available for viewing through August 11.

This colorful presentation explores Queen Elizabeth I’s many accomplishments, the court intrigues that sought to dethrone her, the reasons she never married, her patronage of the arts, and her intense interest in exploring and accessing new lands for England. These new lands included what is now North Carolina as Sir Walter Raleigh, one of Elizabeth’s favorites, sent an expedition to the New World in an attempt to colonize Roanoke Island. This unsuccessful attempt resulted in the Lost Colony.

Organized by the Newberry Library’s Center for Renaissance Studies, Chicago, in collaboration with the American Library Association Public Programs Office, "Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend" is made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), with additional support from the Vance Family Fund and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Along with the exhibit Cameron Village Library will sponsor several complementary programs co-sponsored by the Renaissance Faire, including Tea with Queen Elizabeth I, How to Dress Like a Noble Lord or Lady, and a lecture series on Elizabethan life. In addition, the director of the Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke Island will be here to speak about Elizabethan gardening. Finally, the Library will host a panel discussion on women in government, featuring Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and State Senator Janet Cowell. The exhibit and the programs are free.

For more information about these programs and the opening celebration, please contact Sue Scott at 856-6703 or sscott@co.wake.nc.us.

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