Exhibit: January 7 – February 25
Reception & Talk: January 13, 4-6pm
Hands & Hearts to Cloth: February 25, 2-4pm
Fifteen years ago fellow Librarians Mary Boehmer and Bambi Miller embarked upon a journey to illuminate the nineteenth century story of the Dorsey Family, Freedom Seekers from Liberty, Maryland and the Leavitt Family, staunch Abolitionists of Charlemont. Through the efforts of over two hundred community members, echoing the footsteps of the nineteenth century women and men, and the work they contributed towards the Cause, Charlemont was awarded two designations from the National Parks Service “Network to Freedom.”
This retrospective exhibit reflects how we became inspired to present our collective history in a format that would be illuminating and engaging. Through adapting nineteenth century documents into a chronological scrapbook, crafting a story of the Dorsey and Leavitt Families’ connections, we have been able to share through public presentations, the Abolitionists activities of Western Massachusetts. Inspired by the collected history and through books, part of the exhibit includes contemporary Underground Railroad quilts created during many quilting bee workshops, historical artifacts and facsimiles used for our “Remembrance of Our Past ” reenactments, African sculptures and created fabric Angels. Further inspiration presented itself in the Sankofa symbol’s meaning “remembering our past, to protect our future.”
Please join us for this fifteenth year retrospective exhibit to be held at Salmon Falls Gallery during the months of January and February 2018. The opening reception is Saturday, January 13th, 4-6pm including a Talk.
Hands & Hearts to Cloth will be Sunday, February 25 from 2-4 p.m. Charlemont librarians Mary Boehmer and Bambi Miller will trace the role local Abolitionist women played gathering petitions, public speaking and creating quilts to generate funds for the support of the Underground Railroad Movement. Inspired by the nineteenth century Ladies’ activities, and following in their footsteps, discussion will revolve around the efforts of one hundred contemporary women and their quilting participation, bringing to light our Community’s past.
Belinda Lyons Zucker: Fly Away Home
An exhibit of dolls and figures from Black folklore
Angel Making Workshop: Sunday, January 28, 2-4pm
Fly away home… tales in Black folklore tell of Africans that flew. Perhaps these stories were created as a desire to ease their weary lives; to dream of escape. Those left to work the fields remained slaves and told these fantastic tales with only their imaginations to set them free. They flew away … and disappeared.
Tuesday Feb 20, 2018
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Check times. Runs January 7 to February 25
Salmon Falls Gallery, 1 Ashfield St., Shelburne Falls
Printed courtesy of www.franklincc.org – Contact the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Inc. for more information.
PO Box 6, Deerfield, MA 01342-0006 – (413) 773-5463 – fccc@franklincc.org