Photography Exhibits Tell Stories of Black History and Culture in Kansas
Three photography exhibits opening Jan. 11 at Barton County Community College’s Shafer Gallery will provide a picturesque narrative of black history and culture on state and national levels.
Exhibits include “Kansans of African Descent: Selected Portraits,” “Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement” and “The Tradition of Blues in Wichita: African Americans Tell Their Story.” A reception for the exhibits is planned for 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18. Gallery guides are available free for all three of the exhibits, which will continue through March 1.
With 19 historic and contemporary black and white photographs, “Kansans of African Descent: Selected Portraits” features well-known people who have played important roles in Kansas history. Included are portraits of Benjamin “Pap” Singleton, who was instrumental in bringing many black immigrants to Kansas; Julie Lee, who operated a grocery business in Nicodemus on 1877; Lynette Woodard, first woman member of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.
“Kansans of African Descent” was produced by the Kansas State Historical Society and is part of the Kansas Interpretive Traveling Exhibit Service sponsored by the Historical Society and the Kansas Humanities Council.
In 20 free-standing panels, “Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement” chronicles King’s career from his emergence in 1955 as a national figure leading the civil rights movement in some of its greatest triumphs, to his assassination in 1968. The photographs and speeches capture King’s determination and vision, the movement’s fervent beginnings, and the victories and crises of the 1960s.
This exhibit was produced by the Texas Humanities Resource Center and purchased by the Kansas Interpretive Traveling Exhibits Service.
“The Tradition of Blues in Wichita: African-Americans Tell Their Stories” features 19 black and white photographs of traditional blues musicians who practiced in the Wichita area with some of the greats.
The first blacks in Wichita began arriving in the late 1800s. By 1920, the black population had risen to nearly 2,500. That number doubled by the 1950s due to prospering job markets.
As the population grew, so did the tradition of blues music. Businesses providing live musical entertainment attracted many national musicians to Wichita. This aided local performers by example and opportunity to match talents with many big name entertainers. The popularity of the music helped blacks find acceptance outside the black community
“The Tradition of Blues in Wichita: African-Americans Tell Their Stories” was originally funded in part by the Wichita Community Foundation, the Kansas Humanities Council (an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities), the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.
All Shafer Gallery exhibits are presented in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information, contact the Shafer Gallery, 620-792-9342.