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Past Public Programs and Events: |
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“FOUNDING VISIONARIES: Opening Reception: September 27th, 2008 March On! Artist: London Ladd |
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Westcott Street Cultural Fair Date: September 21, 2008 Calling all creative kids, visit the CFAC Creative Arts Tent for papermaking, art stamping, collage and whole a lot more! Come for crafts and stay for the book signing by local illustrator London Ladd. Scholastic Publications has generously donated copies of March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World for this special event. Artist London Ladd will be at the CFAC Creative Arts Tent at 3:00 p.m. to sign copies of this wonderful children’s book. March On! written by Christine King Farris, commemorates the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historical "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28 1963. The book is filled with beautiful, vivid illustrations chronicling the 24 hours leading up to Dr. King delivering the speech that changed the world through the eyes of his older sister, Christine King Farris. Limited copies are available. Get to the tent early to claim your signed copy! The Westcott Street Cultural Fair is an annual, one-day celebration of the diversity and uniqueness of the Westcott neighborhood through its culture: visual and performing arts, food, service organizations and activities geared to families and Syracuse and LeMoyne students returning to the neighborhood. The fair attracts more than 8,000 people annually to the Westcott Business District in mid-September for a day filled with great sounds, sights, tastes and more! Meet Ma' at the Folk Venue: Community Folk Art Center The Community Folk Art Center in collaboration with Syracuse Stage, is excited to host a Q&A with Broadway actress Ebony Jo-Ann. Jo-Ann is currently in the title role of August Wilson's play, Ma' Rainey's Black Bottom opening Saturday, September 13th at Syracuse Stage. August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom opened on Broadway in 1984, launching Wilson’s 10-play chronicle of African American life in the 20th century. In 1985, Ma Rainey won a Tony Award for Best Play and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. Themes and conflicts in Ma Rainey can be found throughout Wilson’s cycle: jazz v. blues, males v. females, guys trying to become men, old guns schooling the young guy, migration from south to north, clashes between southern and northern African Americans, and clashes between older and younger generations. The story centers on a young horn player with a pocket full of songs and a head full of dreams who longs to place his name among the giants of the blues, legends the likes of Ma Rainey, for whom he is a session sideman. In a single day of making music, making jokes and making deals, the horn player succumbs to the harsh realities of unjustly thwarted aspirations and the self-destructive consequences of misdirected anger and violence. The real-life Gertrude “Ma” Rainey was signed to Paramount Records in 1923 as one of their first African American artists. Ma’s style was authentic Southern-folk, punctuated with moans, slurs and glissandos. Although a more “sophisticated” sound started to become popular towards the end of her career, Ma’s recordings stayed true to her Southern, rural roots of growing up in Georgia. Nick named the “Mother of the Blues,” it is rumored that Ma Rainey taught Bessie Smith how to sing the blues. For more information about this production or to purchase tickets please visit Syracuse Stage at http://www.syracusestage.org/. Please R.S.V.P. Spaces are limited. Contact the Community Folk Art Center and reserve a spot for this Syracuse Stage and Community Folk Art Center collaborative special event. To R.S.V.P please call 315.442.2230 or email cfac@syr.edu Click Here to purchase tickets online. Copy Credit: Syracuse Stage |
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The Whipping Post Exhibition: June 7 - August
16, 2008 Unchained Memories: In the early 1930's the Federal Writers' Project mounted a project to transcribe the memories of former African-American slaves who were still living. The result was a massive collection of notes, documents, and recordings, all of which found their way into the Library of Congress. Co-produced by the Library and the HBO cable channel, Unchained Memories: Readings From the Slave Narratives features a truly impressive array of black performers sharing the reminiscences of those who lived under the yoke of slavery. Directors Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon complemented the words with vivid images culled from contemporary photographs of the years 1850-1935. "Unchained Memories" will be screening in the Herbert T. Williams Gallery throughout the "The Whipping Post" exhibition. Come sit for a moment with 'elders' and listen to this stunning collection of stories from former slaves. 
Traces of the Trade Date: June 18, 2008 Click Here to view trailer. Catch Traces of the Trade on the big screen before it makes its small screen PBS debut. This insightful documentary follows filmmaker Katrina Browne and nine fellow family members on a remarkable journey which brings them face-to-face with the history and legacy of New England's hidden enterprise.The film follows ten DeWolf descendants (ages 32-71, ranging from sisters to seventh cousins) as they retrace the steps of the Triangle Trade, visiting the DeWolf hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island, slave forts on the coast of Ghana, and the ruins of a family plantation in Cuba. From 1769 to 1820, DeWolf fathers, sons and grandsons trafficked in human beings. They sailed their ships from Bristol, Rhode Island to West Africa with rum to trade for African men, women and children. Captives were taken to plantations that the DeWolfs owned in Cuba or were sold at auction in such ports as Havana and Charleston. Sugar and molasses were then brought from Cuba to the family-owned rum distilleries in Bristol. Over the generations, the family owned 47 ships that transported thousands of Africans across the Middle Passage into slavery. They amassed an enormous fortune. By the end of his life, James DeWolf had been a U.S. Senator and was reportedly the second richest man in the United States. The DeWolf descendants are confronted with questions that apply to the nation as a whole: What, concretely, is the legacy of slavery-for diverse whites, for diverse blacks, for diverse others? Who owes who what for the sins of the fathers of this country? What history do we inherit as individuals and as citizens? How does Northern complicity change the equation? What would repair-spiritual and material-really look like and what would it take?
CFAC Barnes & Noble Bookfair Fundraiser Dates: June 19th - 26th Support CFAC and stock up on your summer reading! Buy a book or two at Barnes & Noble Bookstore June 19th through the 26th and a portion of the proceeds will be donted to the Community Folk Art Center. Check out the books above about colonial and contemporary enslavement and look for more titles on the Juneteenth display at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore located in Dewitt. Click Here to download Barnes and Noble voucher (in .pdf format).
The Community Folk Art Center in conjunction with Barnes & Noble is pleased to announce a booksigning and discussion forum with artist Brantley Carroll and author Douglas R. Egerton. Carroll's reaserch into his family history and connection to slavery has culminated in his photographic exhibit "The Whipping Post"; on view at the Community Folk Art Center June 14th through August 16th. Speaking on his work, Carroll states, "as the descendant of an owner of enslaved persons, I find it imperative that I teach, learn, understand, revisit and revise the traditional view of this part of America's history." LeMoyne College Professor and author Douglas R. Egerton will sign copies of his book "He Shall Go Out Free: The Lives of Denmark Vesey" and pose the following question to our B&N guests. How do we understand history? How does that understanding lead to unique conceptualizations of the past, and how do we reconcile these diverse perspectives? Join us in discussing these and related topics; selected works from Carroll's exhibit "The Whipping Post" will also be on display in the Barnes & Noble Cafe. Professor Egerton became interested in history through his family and its troubled past. His paternal grandmother, the daughter of an elderly Confederate officer and slaveholder was born in Tennessee in 1885. When he was in high school, the series "Roots" was shown on television, and his normally soft-spoken grandmother became furious about the way in which the Old South was depicted. She assured him that they--meaning the planter class--"were always kind to our people," an inadvertent admission that African American slaves were indeed human property. Professor Egerton reflects on this moment stating, "I think that's when I decided to write and teach about race relations in the early American South". Douglas R. Egerton received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Georgetown University, he is the author of the several books including, "Charles Fenton Mercer and the Trial of National Conservatism" (1989), "Gabriel's Rebellion" (1993), "He Shall Go Out Free: The Lives of Denmark Vesey" (1999), and "Rebels, Reformers and Revolutionaries" (2002) 
Presentation: The Community Folk Art Center is honored to host guest speaker Felicia Bell, Director of Education and Outreach at the United States Capitol Historical Society J. Currently a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Howard University, Ms. Bell will present her work about the building trades and use of slave labor to build the United States Capitol. Her research has attracted the attention of lawmakers and in November 2007 she gave expert witness testimony before Congress about the use of black labor to build the United States Capitol. Her testimony, along with others, resulted in a bill naming the Capitol Visitors Center's great hall, "Emancipation Hall." President George W. Bush signed the bill into law in December 2007. Ms. Bell was inspired to do research and create the Society's traveling exhibit, "From Freedom's Shadow: African Americans and the United States Capitol," after taking a guided tour of the Capitol where the contributions of African Americans was scarcely a subject of discussion. The exhibit examined the black experience at the Capitol from construction of the building to the experiences of current African American Members of Congress. Prior to moving to Washington, D. C., Ms. Bell was the Director of Education and Programs at the Coastal Heritage Society in Savannah, Georgia. She graduated from Savannah State University, the oldest public university in Georgia for African Americans, in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in history. She earned a master's degree in historic preservation in 2002 from Savannah College of Art and Design, which has been recognized as one of the nation's leading institutions in historic preservation. Ms. Bell's presentation with will be followed by a Q&A session and light reception. Bring a friend and join in the conversation.
The Community Folk Art Center is honored to host guest speaker Dr. Sheila Aird, Assistant Professor and Academic Area Coordinator of Global Studies at SUNY's Empire State College. Dr. Aird's work "The Forgotten Ones: Enslaved Children in the Caribbean", fully examines the lives of the youngest victims of the trade in human cargo and explores both the physical and psychological ramifications of their enslavement. Although "The Forgotten Ones" sheds light on the lives of children in the Caribbean, it is the story of all enslaved children regardless of geographical location whose voices have been minimized in historical discourse. Dr. Aird received her Ph.D. in Latin and Caribbean History and M.A. in History from Howard University. Prior to joining Empire State College, Dr. Aird was an adjunct Professor in the African American Studies Department at Syracuse University. Dr. Aird holds a BA in Anthropology and an M.A. in Anthropology with a focus on Historical Archeology from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She has been involved in several historical archaeological projects in St. John Virgin Islands and is currently involved with a project that centers on the Harriet Tubman House in Auburn, NY. Additionally, she worked on an awareness program in Syracuse, NY titled "Save the Faces." The citywide conservation and preservation effort centered on clay faces that had been sculpted on the basement walls of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, an abolitionist Underground Railroad site. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and light reception. Bring a friend and join in the conversation. 
The Film Class Click
Here to see film trailer. Centuries after they were brought to Palestine as slaves, black Bedouins still face discrimination. In 2004 filmmaker Uri Rosenwaks traveled to Rahat, a Bedouin town in Israel's Negev Desert, to teach a group of Black Bedouin women a class in filmmaking. Afflicted with pessimism, unemployment, poverty and violence, Rahat is partially populated by Black Bedouins who were brought to the Middle East as slaves. Kidnapped in Africa by slave traders, they were auctioned-off in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Zanzibar, and until 50 years ago, Black Bedouins were enslaved by the White ones. When the Israeli film director first started work with the group, the women never mentioned the issue. Only after about 18 months of working and making short films together, did he suggest that they make a film telling the history of the Black Bedouins. Suddenly, a small and modest course in filmmaking became a forum for the airing of the unspoken taboos and history of an entire society. "36th Annual Teenage Competitive Art Exhibition"Syracuse, NY- Teen artists of African American, Native American, Hispanic American and Asian American heritage are sought to display their work in the 36th Annual Teenage Competitive Art Exhibition at the Community Folk Art Center in Syracuse, from April 26th through May 24th, 2008. The exhibition is sponsored by the Community Folk Art Center and the Syracuse Chapter of the Links, Inc. Artwork in all media is welcome. Artists must be between the ages of 13 and 19 to enter the their work. The competition will be judged by local artists and prizes will be awarded to the winners. Prize categories include two-dimensional (including paintings, drawings, prints, photography and mixed media) and three-dimensional (including ceramics, wood, metal, fibers and mixed media). The deadline for submissions is April 11th, 2008. There will be an opening reception and awards presentation on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information about the exhibition, and to submit artwork, please call the Community Folk Art Center at 442-2230. The Community Folk Art Center is a unit of the Department of African American Studies at Syracuse University. AfriCOBRA: Liberated Images Artist Panel Discussion: February 2, 3:00-4:00 p.m. CFAC Annual Gala with Artist Reception: February 2, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Keepin’ It Reel! ‘08CFAC Cinematic Festival Celebrating Hip Hop February 14-17, 2008 |
Faith Ringgold: Story Quilts & Children's
Books Program will include slides & lecture, followed by Q & A. Book signing afterward. To purchase online, Click Here. Tickets can also be purchased at the CFAC office CFAC Cinema Thursday: Been Rich All My Life CFAC will continue its Cinema Thursday Series with a screening of the film Been Rich All My Life. The film, directed by Heather Lyn MacDonald, tells the story of the Silver Belles, a troupe of women tap dancers, ages eighty-four to ninety-six. The women met in the 1930's as chorus dancers at the Apollo and the Cotton Club. When the Big Band era ended, the women went into other work. They regrouped in 1985 and are still performing regularly. Admission for the film is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for students and $1.00 for ages three and under. Bag-It: Works By Lori Crawford Bag-It: Works By Lori Crawford" is based on the "Brown Paper Bag Test," which dealt with the complexion of one's skin and whether it was lighter or darker than a brown paper bag. The works in the exhibition speak of the biases faced by each of the artist's subjects. The works offer a strong commentary on issues of prejudice faced every day in our modern society. Illuminate the Arts Winter Break Camp Photo Show This show contains photographs taken during the Illuminate the Arts Winter Break Camp at the Community Folk Art Center in February 2007. The portraits are of participants in the camp. Artist reception and gallery talk Saturday, June 16th, 2007 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Beyond Boundaries Auction The Fathers' Project: Ellen Blalock 35th Annual Teenage Competitive Art Exhibition Onondaga Dance Institute fundraiser : April 22, 2007 3:00-6:00 pm. Empty Bowls a fundraiser for the Interreligious Food Consortium: April 21, 20071:00 - 6:00 pm Willie Williams: This exhibition features photographs of Underground Railroad sites. The exhibition is held in conjunction
with a simultaneous exhibition at Light Work. January
16 - March 8, 2007 Dodji Koudakpo: An African Experiences "Illuminate The Arts*" Winter Break Camp: February 19th thru February 23rd 2007 Weaving A Legacy: Perspectives on Civil Rights World premiere performance of The New Syracuse Quintet. CFAC Anniversary Celebration: February , 2007 CFAC Cinema Thursday: February 1,2007 7:00 p.m. Pride and Perseverance: Civil Rights Paintings by Charly Palmer Three Brothers: The Art of Oren Lyons, Rick Hill and Tracy Thomas CFAC Cinema Thursday: December 14, 7:00 p.m. The Heart Gallery |
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Thursday, October 12th Artist Talk Featuring: 7pm Friday, October 13th 7pm 9pm Saturday, October 14th 2pm
7pm Admission: $5.00 general admission / $3.00 students / $1.00 12 and underFor more information please call: 442-2230 or email us: cfac@syr.edu
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The Community Folk Art Center is a program of the African American
Studies Department in the College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University and |
This event is a collaboration
with the award-winning documentary series P.O.V. (
Barnes & Noble Artist and Author Q & A
Presentation: