New Summer Line-Up at the African American Museum
The African American Museum is back with new exhibitions this summer.
The museum will bring exhibitions that focus on Black men that have altered history and will also have exhibitions that investigate slavery.
PHOTO: Courtesy African American Museum of Dallas.
Artist Valerie Gillespie will start off the summer exhibitions with “Becoming an Artist.” This exhibition explores the “truth and illusion behind the oftentimes unfortunate actions thatstem from human nature.”
She portrays this through the lens of an African American mother who guards her emotions and ignores her pain to show “how the masks that we wear daily contribute to the seclusion and loneliness of what it feels like to be Black in America.” The exhibition will be available from June 24-Sept. 25.
The headliner of the season, “Men of Change: POWER. TRIUMPH. TRUTH” exhibition uses a variety of storytelling mediums to show the power of African American men. This exhibition profiles noteworthy Black men through history like Muhammad Ali, Lebron James, and Kendrick Lamar amongst others that have significantly impacted the culture and history of America. “Men of Change” has seven categories: Myth-Breakers, Community, Fathering, Storytellers, Imagining, Catalysts, and Loving. This exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and will be available from June 26-Sept. 12.
The museum also offers an exhibition that investigates the importance of slavery. “The Confederate Currency: Color of Money” takes a step back in time and shows over 120 images of slavery depicted on Confederate and Southern states’ money.
All these exhibitions are free of charge and will be at the African American Museum for a limited time. The museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. For more information, go here or call 214-565-9026.
In other news:
-Summer Jazz night concerts are back. The three-part Summer Music Under the Dome kicks off on June 24th and will have two more appearances on July 29 and August 26. Featured artists include Candance Mahogany, Herbie K. Johnson, and Rob Holbert. Admission is free, but limited to only 70 people. Food and beverages will also be on sale. To register go here.
-The 32nd Texas Black Invitational Rodeo will feature 300 African American cowboys and cowgirls competing for cash prizes. The event will also have bull-riding, calf and steer roping, barrel racing, the Pony Express relay race, on-field kids activities, and more. The rodeo will be at 7 p.m. July 31 at 7 p.m. at Fair Park Coliseum. Reserved tickets are $10 and box seats are $25 in advance. For tickets and more information, click here
-Plan ahead for Labor Day and make it to the 5th Fair Park Blues and Jazz Festival. The festival will be from 5-10 p.m. Sept. 4. Proceeds will benefit the African American Museum’s youth education program. Tickets will be available for sale soon here.
