{ object_type: 'Exhibit Item',embed_type: 'image',embed_detail: 'http://www.myloc.gov/_assets/Exhibitions/naacp/renewalofstruggle/Assets/na0142p1_th125.jpg',embed_alt: 'The Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics',thumbnail: {url: 'http://www.myloc.gov/_assets/Exhibitions/naacp/renewalofstruggle/Assets/na0142p1_th125.jpg',alt: 'The Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics',height: '66',width: '125'} }

See Silverlight version of this item » About this item        

Vernon Jarrett, a prominent Chicago journalist, introduced the Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) in 1977 as an “Olympics of the Mind” that would reward academic achievers in the same way athletic achievers are honored. The NAACP developed ACT-SO into a program designed to promote academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students through local and national competitions. There are twenty-six categories of competition in the humanities, sciences, business, the performing arts and the visual arts. The first national ACT-SO competition was held in Portland, Oregon, in 1978. Through ACT-SO, more than 260,000 contestants have received over $1 million in scholarships, books, and computers.
Vernon Jarrett, a prominent Chicago journalist, introduced the Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) in 1977 as an “Olympics of the Mind” that would reward academic achievers in the same way athletic achievers are honored. The NAACP developed ACT-SO into a program designed to promote academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students through local and national competitions. There are twenty-six categories of competition in the humanities, sciences, business, the performing arts and the visual arts. The first national ACT-SO competition was held in Portland, Oregon, in 1978. Through ACT-SO, more than 260,000 contestants have received over $1 million in scholarships, books, and computers.