Category Archives: Culture

Amon Carter Museum Exhibits Esteemed Private Collection of African-American Art

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Ron Adams (b. 1934)
Blackburn, 2002

FORT WORTH, Texas—The works of more than 50 African-American artists from the late 1800s to the present will be on view at the Amon Carter Museum from June 6 through August 23, 2009, in the special exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper.

The Kelley collection is one of the most esteemed private collections of African-American art, and the special exhibition features more than 90 works on paper by artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Alison Saar and Charles White.

Alison Saar (b. 1956)
Black Snake Blues, 1994

Admission is free to all special exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum.

Two significant eras are the focus of the exhibition: the 1930s and 1940s, a period which saw the birth of African-American regionalism, and the 1960s and 1970s, which saw the rise of politically motivated and African-inspired themes; subjects range from racism and its related hardships to family, music and religion.

“An array of fascinating, vivid imagery makes this exhibition particularly compelling,” says Jane Myers, senior curator of prints and drawings. “Virtually every work clearly emanates from the artists’ own powerful, personal narrative.”

The Kelleys have been collecting art since the mid-1980s, when they saw the exhibition Hidden Heritage: Afro-American Art, 1800–1950 at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Realizing they did not recognize any of the artists’ names, they vowed to educate themselves about this aspect of their heritage and built a collection to advance the legacy of African-American art.

James Lesesne Wells (1902–1993)
Negro Worker, ca. 1940

“We are delighted the Amon Carter Museum has chosen to host this exhibition,” Harmon Kelley says. “Placing our drawings and prints in the context of the museum’s rich holdings of American art is a wonderful and unique opportunity.”

Concurrent to this exhibition, the one-gallery exhibition African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection is on view. This exhibition showcases some of the museum’s landmark prints and drawings from the same era as those in the Kelley show. Artists featured include Charles Alston, Grafton Tyler Brown, Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, William E. Smith, Dox Thrash, Charles White and John Wilson.

The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, California. African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection was organized by the Amon Carter Museum.

Public Programs: Admission is free.

Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m.

Changing the Rules: A Conversation with Harmon and Harriet Kelley and Bob Ray Sanders

Dialogue

Join the discussion as seasoned Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bob Ray Sanders interviews Harmon and Harriet Kelley about their esteemed collection of African-American art.

Reservations are required as seating is limited. Please call 817.989.5030 to register; confirmation will be sent.

Sunday, July 12, 2 p.m.

Many Voices, Many Visions

Performance

Of Many Colors, Fort Worth music ensemble

Connect to the exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper and the Carter’s permanent collection during this inspiring vocal concert by one of Fort Worth’s favorite music ensembles. The performance features music from the late 1800s into the 20th century and works of art by more than 50 African-American artists.

Reservations are required as seating is limited. Please call 817.989.5030 to register; confirmation will be sent.

Sunday, August 9, 1–4 p.m.

What a Wonderful World

Family Funday

Through looking and art-making activities, discover how artworks share stories, connect communities, and inspire our imaginations. Artworks by African-American artists in The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper exhibition and the Carter’s permanent collection will be featured during this fun-filled family day. Family Fundays are made possible by Alcon.

Tours

Free public tours for this special exhibition occur at 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. No reservations are required.

Theater Review: King Hedley II at Bishop Arts Theater Center

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King Hedley II By: August Wilson
Directed By Laterras R. Whitfield
Review By: Carla Lacy

I was fortunate enough to be asked by my good friend Shawn Williams of Dallas South to visit a play this past Saturday. He asked me to write a review for submission on Dallas South. I was honored that he would even consider asking my opinion! Little did I know, that I would the soon feel that same excitement/pride/ joy and, Yes, honor on Saturday night.

My guest Terrance and I strolled in to the Bishop Arts Theater Center (home of TeCo Theatrical Productions) lobby not quite knowing what to expect. We entered the dark theater, to find the play already in progress. As the first moments passed I thought, all of these actors look so young… but I watched on. Terrance leaned over and whispered, “Are they students?” “I guess so” I expressed, but from the characters that leapt from the stage you may not know it.

As I began to read the program I learned that these young actors and actresses were part of the T-An-T (Teenagers And Theater) Acting Troupe! Yes, these were high school and Jr. High School students, but this was no children’s play!

The play is set in 1985 Pittsburg, PA, and King Headley II has just been released form a 7-year sentence for murder. He seems to have all the intentions of making himself into a success, but just can’t seem to find the way to making that happen. He struggles throughout the play with the ghosts of his father, while desperately and dangerously trying to change his future.

He faces the same struggle that many face today: coming out from despair with high hopes for the future. As demonstrated by King, it is a difficult task to change your life, without first changing your mind.

All of the performers were extremely talented, and tackling this play was no easy feat! They dealt with adult issues that were surely beyond their experience, yet they were able to bring the characters and their issues to life.

Two of the future stars whose characters seemed to leap off the stage were Stool Pigeon, and Elmore played by Jr. High student Clifford Cummings and High School student Amir Razavi. When you hear talk of “reach” for an actor -range of effective action, power, or capacity; to get or come to a specified place, person, condition, etc; or to succeed in making contact with, influencing, impressing, interesting, convincing- these students are well on their way to having it! Well done.

In all this was joy to witness, and I am eager to see what’s in store for the next production.

There is quite a bit of adult language and some violence, so I didn’t find it suitable for children. I had to work my way through the teen’s use of such strong words.

Summer Camp is available for kids 6-17yrs. 7am-5pm M-Th. I have already printed the application for my own little one. Only 50 spots available!

King Hedley II

Remaining Shows: April 30, May 1&2

Bishop Arts Theater Center
215 South Tyler Street
General Admission Seating, 8PM Nightly
All Seats $15 in advance, $20 at the door (plus service fee)
(Thursday, Friday & Saturday performances only)
Call the box office at 214-948-0716 for more information

More from Gambia, Part 5 of 6

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By Nazim Ansari

Peace and Blessings friends and family,

4/15/09 – Banjul, The Gambia

Today was a day of fun, fun, fun.  We had lessons in drumming, dancing, Wolof language, and we visited the fishing market, and shopping market.  Our tour guide, Molong, took us to an area to learn the drumming, dancing and Wolof from some of the locals in The Gambia.  It was a blast!!! 

The drumming was exciting, and the dancing was downright hilarious, my mother got out and danced!!  Next, we stopped at a tie-dye shop to learn how the tie-dye and local prints are created.  The artist use all natural colors from flowers and plants to make the printed shirts, dresses, tablecloths, etc.

From there we toured the local fishing market and saw all the different types of fish the locals catch. There were shark fish, ugly fish, and all kinds of fish.  They use long fish boats and catch all the fish with a line, they are really skilled at their craft.  From there we went to the local marketplace to shop, it was a little exhausting, but extremely fun!

Our tour guide told us from the beginning, whatever price they quote you, take 1/3rd of it and bargain at that price…he was absolutely correct.  There were hundreds of small shop owners lined up in rows after rows all aggressively persuading you to come into their shop.   The local Gambian shop owners are not rude, but they are very aggressive because a large portion of their economy comes from tourism, so if they don’t sell, they have money.

I enjoyed the negotiations and bargaining and meeting so many people, there was so much to buy I just couldn’t get everything I wanted, from handmade jewelry, wooden sculptures, drums, and paintings to shirts, leathers bags, purses, and sandals.

The bargaining was fun, but make no mistake about it, the people in the country don’t have much income opportunities outside of small tourist shops, so I saw a lot of poverty traveling through Banjul, but from what I’ve learned The President has made a lot of progress over the last 10 years developing The Gambia, so its a growing country.

Our day ended with dinner at a restaurant right on the beach, it was a perfect day and the food was great, I have seen some of the most beautiful beaches and sunsets while in Africa.  Tomorrow we head out to visit the village of Kunta Kenteh, so please stay tuned for this.

Attached are pictures of;

1. Nazim dancing, they didn’t know I knew how to do the African tootsie roll.

2. Fishing market where all the local fishers dock to catch their fish, see the boats in the water.

3. Marketplace where shopping occurs.

4. Some have no choice but to sell their products on the side of the road.

5.  Sunset in Africa…beautiful.

Peace and Blessings,

-Nazim

Dallas South Family Member makes it to Gambia

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BY NAZIM ANSARI
April 13 – Riding to Banjul, Gambia
This morning we left Banjul and rode a long way to The Gambia, which is a neighboring country to Senegal. We will be here for a few days before we depart back to Senegal.

The trip was a good experience because we made many stops and it ended up taking us 10 hours to get there by charter bus. We were able to stop along the way to visit some of the small remote villages in the countryside. Our group stopped in one village and the areas is called Bandulu where the people live in “huts” (that’s the best way I can describe their living quarters).
But the major misperception is that Africa and Africans are savage, ignorant people. Even in the most remote villages the people speak at least three languages, Wolof -the native language of Senegal- French, and English. Also, they live a rural life as their customs call for, have electricity and running water, know what cars, cellphones, etc are, but they choose a life that is normal to them and their tradition.

Their communal lifestyle is amazing, everyone works to help each other in the village. The values are much more prioritized, (God, family, and community) and they are very happy and peaceful. Hmm, would you trade in the stress of job, mortgage, car note, pollution for the peaceful life enjoying the beauty of nature, fresh air, well water, growing your own food, and a peaceful community life? Well probably not completely .
I learned a lot about priorities from them which will help make my life more peaceful, and there are a lot of things we should absolutely adopt. The children really value education, a pen is the best gift you can give them, they love it. Notebooks or books of any kind is like hitting the lottery, and education is treasured.

There is a true respect for elders, who set the tone for the village. The council of elders, resolve all the issues that arise. As we got to the border to cross into The Gambia, the area was packed with people and a lot of children, because Monday was a holiday.
I met several young brothers, who upon hearing my name asked if I was in the Nation of Islam. They had heard The Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan speak when he visited Gambia and loved it and love him, needless to say I was very excited. I spoke with one young man for a while we waited, and I have been reading a few books on the trip, one of them is Closing The Gap, so I gave him a copy of this book and he was very appreciative.

Also, I saw several young girls selling cashews, which grow plentiful in the Senegal/Gambia region, and a few of the girls had pink marks on their faces which looked like their skin had been burned. We asked them what happen, and were told that they young girls are trying to bleach their skin. I was very disappointed to see and hear this, because our minds are still trapped in this destructive thinking, even for our young people in Africa.

We finally made it to our hotel, and it’s late, the Ocean Bay Hotel in Banjul, Gambia is also built directly next to the ocean, but it’s dark and I can’t see anything, only hear the water. We have a full week planned, school visit, museum, another slave dungeon in this area, market, etc…so I will try to update you all later this week.
Attached pictures are;
1. Entering into the home of the Chief of the Bandulu village.
2. Inside the bedroom, notice the bedroom suite.
3. Another “hut” home for another family in the village.
4. Mom carrying little baby on back.
5. Bro. Rente, who I gave my book to.
6. Gambian little girls, notice the one on the left, she has a pink burn mark on her forehead where she is starting to bleach her skin.

Nazim visits Goree Island and “The Point of No Return”

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Today, my former roommate Nazim Ansari tells of his visit to Goree Island, the last place that many Africans were housed before being shipped off into slavery. Nazim’s words and pictures are moving as he walks us through the process that was used to transform humans into chattel.

BY NAZIM ANSARI
April 12 – Dakar Senegal

Today we visited Goree Island and it was the most somber and serious experience I probably will have on the trip. If you have time please Google this island to read some of the history.

It’s right off the coast of Dakar, Senegal just a 15 minute ferry ride. This was one of the main docking station’s during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Once slaves were captured from surrounding areas, they were sent here for up to 90 days before they were shipped out.
The original slave dungeon we walked through is over 400 year old, and is the main point to visit. When I first walked into the 2 story slave dungeon, which is built directly against the water so the ships were able to pull up to it, there were rooms to the left and right where the Black slaves were separated by age, sex, and size and assigned a number. After this process, their original names were gone forever.

The first room I saw was for men, who were packed 50 to each room. The men were naked and chained together, and the room was so small only 20 of us (mostly children) could fit in without feeling totally cramped. The male slaves were taken out only once per day to relieve themselves. Because they were standing in their own feces, nude, chained and cramped together, there was lots disease spread amongst them.

With concrete walls and floors it got very cold at night and because of the ocean breeze and very humid during the day. The next room was for the infants 12 yrs and under. They wanted more children because they were easier to “feed” and easier to train to accept slavery.

The next room I saw was for women 12 and up. The women, as young as 12, on any given night could be pulled from the cell/dungeon, hosed down naked in the middle of the compound and taken to another room to be raped by the white slave owners. The other cells/holes were for the “rebellious” slaves, those that wouldn’t accept captivity and were kept in a 3ft hole to break them.
The final point, literally, was the door, known as The Point of No Return. Once our ancestors went through this door, they were shipped off and there was no coming back. Death was the only way out. The slaves that tried to escape or who were sick, were thrown into the ocean and eaten by sharks.
It is true that sharks swarmed near the coast and changed their swim patterns because of the amount of bodies thrown into the water. The same ocean where I saw young children swimming and playing today with no sharks attacks recorded.

They made other Black Africans guard the compound to stop the other slaves from escaping…can you imagine?!?! In this dungeon, I learned and witnessed the beginnings of the worse treatment a people in the history of humanity. I’m filled with so many emotions from rage to complete disbelief.
The slave trade lasted for 300 years, yet the effects of both captive and captor are still felt today. Once again, my eyes were pointed inward on how long will I carry a mindset that is the result of slavery and more importantly, how much am I willing to sacrifice to help my brothers and sisters in America rid themselves of this mindset. I pray my words and this trip aren’t just empty and I come back with a renewed spirit to get busy in my life.

PHOTOS

1. View from ferry of Goree.
2. Young soldiers who ride on the ferry to and from Goree Island.
3. Monument donated to represent the end of slavery.
4. Entrance into the Slave Quarters. Two stories, slaves were kept in the lower level and the overseers were upstairs where there were fireplaces in each bedroom/room, large dining area with table.
5. Inside the Slave Dungeon for men.
6. This is where the infants 12 and under were enslaved.
7. Inside the hole where “rebellious” slaves were kept.
8. View of hallway to Point of No Return.
9. Standing in the door of the Point of No Return.

Nazim Ansari details his first day in Dakar Senegal

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Continuation of my former college roommate Nazim Ansari’s 10 day trip to Africa.
By Nazim Ansari
April 11; Dakar, Senegal

It was all worth it. The “rudeness” I faced in Casablanca, flight delays, hurdles that I personally had to overcome to make this trip were all worth today’s experience.
To see Africa and its people and just seeing Senegal has been great for me. It is an absolutely beautiful city in both location and scenery. Dakar,Senegal is the farthest point West in Africa right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and it’s the closest point west to the US.
The water and beaches are beautiful and I had no idea my hotel was right on the water because we checked in after midnight. When I woke up to a view of the water I was amazed.

We had another long full day, touring Senegal from the city to the countryside. Riding through town (especially in the market place) it was so dense it makes NYC look like Wasilla, Alaska. Not that it has more people, but the shops cars and people are packed in and they sell/trade everything.
I didn’t see any traditional grocery stores though I’m sure there are a few. I also learned that it is rude not to negotiate with the people who are selling things. They purposely give a high price, because it’s their culture not to go for just the money, but they are looking for the interaction and opportunity to communicate with you. If you just take the first price it’s somewhat of an insult because they view it as “rich American” who thinks he’s better and can take it at any price. So they are master negotiator, and I had to learn that quick and hard…but very fun.

Just to look, see, and communicate with people, who have so little material wise but so much faith, dignity, strength, character and kind hearts, makes me reflect on my character. The Senegalese people are so happy to see us (Blacks from America) and they are constantly saying welcome home once they find out you are from US.
They are extremely conscious of our history and what happened to us and to them. After touring the city and shops we went out to remote villages passing through miles and miles of houses and shops. It was like a neighborhood, but all in one long row.

We made it to the Pink Lake that is actually pink due to the the amount of salt, bacteria, and fish. It has so much salt that it is similar to the Dead Sea. You can almost float in it. We also visited several remote and small villages, where the people truly live a rural life (no plumbing but they do have electricity). The values are strong and The Chief of the Village took us around to show us their school, etc.
They live truly like a community, and instead of biological binds, they are bound by community, for births, deaths, marriages, food, shelter, etc. They look out for the village and not the family. I really respected the government’s involvement with the poor and homeless.

The government purchases 2nd items from Europe and setup a traveling market where the poor can sell those items free of charge to earn a living. In other words, if the people want to work, the government is willing to help to make their conditions better.

So many pictures to chose from, here are a few;
1. In front of Presidential Palace (White house) with Guard
2. Market place jam packed
3. Local bus with men hanging off back. The man in red on the back is the “conductor” who communicates with driver at all times, letting him know what’s happening behind him because the buses are normally crowded.
4. Senegalese sand artists creating beautiful sand paintings out of the seven different sands of Senegal..before picture
5. Young lady carrying the water on her head.
6. Children from village interacting/teaching hand games to children from US

A Trip to the Motherland, Member of Dallas South Family’s journey to Africa

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My former college roommate and line brother is doing something that many of us hope to do one day: he’s touring Africa. Nazim went on the trip to accompany his nephew who is traveling with his school.

He volunteered to share his experiences with the Dallas South Family, and for that I am grateful. I hope you enjoy Nazim’s first hand account and pictures as much as I did. He promises that there will be more to come.

By Nazim Ansari

From the beginning I was very excited about making this jouney to “The Motherland,” and haven’t felt this way since I travelled to the Million Man March in college. I know I will see and learn a great deal, I already have, but I want to come back home with a greater appreciation for everything and everyone I have in my life.

Nazim Ansari

Like most, I get bogged down with the day-to-day tasks of work, bills, responbilities, sometimes complaining, but often just existing and not just living. That can lead to an ungrateful mindset, because I may not take time to appreciate all that I have.

I also hope to walk away with a greater sense of humility and more love. This trip is filled with tours of cities, museums, schools, sites, etc, but I will also see the rough the conditions for my African brothers and sisters. So my desire is to drink everything in, and chronicle all that I see, hear, learn, in order to come out more focused on the mission of saving our people.

Nazim and nephew

Day 1 – 4/9-4/10 Flight from NYC to Casablanca, Moracco.


We arrived in Moracco around seven in the morning (1am CST) and immediately went on a day tour which lasted almost 12hrs. We had a chance to tour the city, and learn quite a bit of history from our excellent tour guide, Hamid.

Casablanca is an old city, where archeologists have unvoceverd sites dating back 100,000 years and plant/sea life 2 million years old. The Original people migrated from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and settled there. Through wars and migration, they are now in the mountains of Moracco, and are called the Berbers. They make carpets and rugs by hand in many beautiful colors.

Today the population in the city is mostly Arab people, and Moracco is 50% Arab and 50% Berber though you never see the Berber’s. Our tour guide’s mother was Berber and father Arab. We toured the city and saw The Great Mosque (3rd largest next to Mosque’s in Mecca and Medina), King’s Palace, Governor’s Palace, ate and did a little shopping.



We also saw the “slums,” as they are called where local fisherman live for free. Casablanca is a modern city, but we also saw poverty there, as little girls were on the street trying to sell gum to tourists (exactly like I witnessed in Mexico).

I was troubled when we ran into some very rude people working at the airport. In certain areas they are not accustomed to seeing Black Americans, and some of them treat our African brothers harshly. They tried it with us… but keep in mind I am on tour with New Yorkers. That ain’t happening. But for the most part, its a beautiful city, with nice people, mostly Arab.

Day 2 4/10

We departed Moracco later that night, because our trip is 1 day in Moracco; 4 days in Dakar, Senegal; 4 days in Bajul, Gambia; and 1 final day back in Moracco to fly out. We arrived at night here in Dakar, Senegal and as soon as I stepped off the plane I knew I was in the Africa I wanted to see.

The air was hot and humid and the people are dark and beautiful. All the hustle men at the airport were trying to sell everything. Riding through the city we saw all the late night clubs open, and Black folks were everywhere. We checked into a very nice hotel, Le Meriden and well…. I am about to get some rest. I will try to update everyone in a few days..


I have included some pics of arriving in Africa, McDonald’s in Moracco, the slums, a few of The Great Mosque, the Atlantic Ocean which the mosque is actually built on water, the Kings Palace, and me and the tour guide Hamid.

Peace and Blessings,
-Nazim

CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON TO HOST 2009 “A WORLD OF WOMEN FOR WORLD PEACE” CONFERENCE

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April conference themed “Women’s Unique Perspectives on Waging Peace”

Washington, D.C. – (March 27, 2009) Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson will host her annual “A World of Women for World Peace” conference on April 18, 2009.  This year’s conference is themed “Women’s Unique Perspectives on Waging Peace.”  The panelists include:

· The Honorable Bisera Turkovi?, former Bosnian Ambassador to the United States

· Ms. Aisha Al–Adawiya, KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights; Founder, Women in Islam

· Dr. Qudsia Mirza, Visiting Professor of Law, University of Cincinnati

· Ms. Karen Blessen, MasterPEACE: Young Artists Making a Kinder World

· Ms. Tatiana Androsov, President and Executive Director, Thanks-giving Square

Congresswoman Johnson began “A World of Women for World Peace” to bring greater visibility to those who are victims of war and conflict and to raise awareness of women who are promoting non-violent conflict resolution within their communities.

The event is free and open to the public.

What:           “A World of Women for World Peace” Conference

Date:           April 18, 2009

Time:           11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location:       Thanks-giving Square, 1627 Pacific Ave., Dallas, TX 75201

VIDEO: Little Obama (aka my son) takes 1st Place in 1st Grade Oratorical Contest

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I have to say that I was moved by my son and his effort in the Frederick Douglass Academy Oratorical Competition. Isaiah took 1st place in the 1st grade division. He recited a portion of Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, and now they’re calling him “Little Obama” at school.

When we were looking through the some of President Obama’s campaign speeches, I couldn’t get my son to bite on any of the ones I liked. He said no to the Iowa victory speech, no to the pivotal speech on race, and no to the Democratic acceptance speech. But when we read through the Inaugural Address, he said “that’s it.”

We started with about 4 lines and 2 paragraphs. I mean he is in first grade right? But he asked for more so we went further into the speech.

In the next line, Obama talked about “petty grievances”, “recriminations” and “worn out dogmas.” I remembered this to be my favorite part of the address, but was unsure if I wanted to put the pressure on him to recite what I thought would be a difficult passage.

I looked at a word I might substitute for recriminations and though I might strip out the dogmas part all together. Why was I reluctant to challenge him?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we are selling our kids -especially our black boys- short. If Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G. can remember complicated rhyming patterns without writing them down, why can’t our boys remember passages of scripture, portions of speeches, and geometric theorems?

We’ve got to challenge our boys in more places than the sports arena. It hasn’t been much of a problem for me as a father, but at that moment (and some others), I found myself willing to settle.

Isaiah added another line that made for a better closing and practiced his speech dozens of times to anyone who would listen. I thank my mom, mother-in-law, his teacher, and of course my wife for helping to prepare Isaiah for the contest. Needless to say, I’m a proud papa.

John Hope Franklin, scholar and historian dies at the age of 94

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Historian John Hope Franklin passed away on Wednesday in North Carolina at the age of 94.  Franklin was born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma, in 1915.  He spent his career studying the subject of race and its effect on individuals and society.

Franklin earned a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in 1935, and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Harvard in 1936 and 1941.  I tend to link Mr. Franklin with his thoughts on the Tulsa Race Riots and the tragedy of Black Wall Street in 1921.  I’d like to share some of his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in 2007 from the Legal History Blog.

My father was born in the Indian territory and grew up in Oklahoma. He lived through the Tulsa race riot in 1921. I moved to Tulsa when I was ten years old, just four years after the Tulsa riot, and witnessed first-hand the impact the riot had on Tulsa….

I observed and have concluded the 1921 riot had a devastating impact on Tulsa that lasted for decades. In my public statements and published work, I have recounted my view that a culture of silence and official negligence descended on the white community of Tulsa in the years after the riot, and persisted for several decades, and my view that in Tulsa’s black community in the ensuing decades, after the economic and physical destruction of the riot, the difficulty of rebuilding, and the indifference or worse of the white community, a public silence among blacks also settled in, even while they privately remembered and feared the riot and its aftermath.

Some of the titles written by Franklin include The Color Line: Legacy for the Twenty-first Century, Three Negro Classics, and The Negro and the New Deal.  Read more on the life of Mr. Franklin from The Associated Press, and John Hope Franklin: No Soft Spot for Media by Ron Prince of the Maynard Institute.

Biographical sketch from John Hope Franklin Center.