Credit Photo: Officers’ Row by Candlelight, M. Brenner
Be an Active Part of History this Holiday Season
Fort Scott Kan. – Monday, November 1, 2021, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 40th Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the Fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. They are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early for your choice of tour times as this event frequently sells out.
The 40th Annual Candlelight Tour is December 3 and 4, 2021. Tours on December 3 will begin at 6:30 pm and leave every 15 minutes until 9 pm. On Saturday, December 4, the tours will start at 5 pm with the final tour leaving at 8:45 pm. Please arrive 10 minutes early to allow time to park, present/pick up your ticket, and get oriented. Participants are advised to please dress for the weather and the terrain, as the entire tour will be outside.
1,000 candle lanterns illuminate the site and reenactors (including you) bring the fort to life. “This year’s tour is about finding peace on the frontier.” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. A Solders path to finding peace took many routes. From the Dragoon soldier’s fight as frontier peacekeepers to keeping peace on the Santa Fe and Oregon trails and returning from Mexico and celebrating the peace treaty, experiencing conflict provided their route to peace.
Fort Scott was an active military post from 1842-1853, which was a time of rapid growth and change in the country. As Fort Scott was being built, the nation grew west, expanding all the way to the Pacific Ocean. With this growth, Fort Scott changed, the mission of its soldiers changed, their experience changed, the environment changed, and the nation changed. Soldiers at Fort Scott lived their lives to the fullest despite the constant change.
From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation. The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. For more information about Fort Scott National Historic Site programs or become involved in the candlelight tour, or other activities, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
Eugene Ware Elementary School Youth Choir will present a “Veterans Day Performance” for third grade during PLC Time at the school on Monday, November 8, at 8 a.m.
“This performance will be recorded and sent out to parents of those students,” Mary Jo Harper, music teacher at the school said.
This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not! Just place a hold on the item(s) you want. If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.
In June of 1954, 18-year-old Emmett Watson, released after serving 15 months for involuntary manslaughter, discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car and have hatched a different plan for Emmett’s future.
As Christmas 1971 approaches, the Hildebrand family of New Prospect, Illinois deals increasing points of crisis including a stale marriage, the draft and their son’s sexual orientation in the first novel in a new trilogy from the author of Purity
Lily Atwood, a beloved television reporter with fame, fortune, Emmy awards and a young daughter is spooked when the anonymous source who feeds her tips begins suddenly giving her inside information about her own life. 60,000 first printing.
A widowed astrobiologist and single father to a troubled son contemplates an experimental neurofeedback treatment that trains the boy on the recorded patterns of his mother’s brain in the new novel from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Overstory
Under the cover of the Madwomen’s Ball—when the great and good come to gawk at the patients of the Salpetriere Asylum in Paris—19-year-old Eugenie, who can see spirits, is determined to escape and seek those who will believe in her. 40,000 first printing.
Inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology, a debut novel follows Évike, a young pagan woman, as she, rescued by Gáspár, the one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen—and a disgraced prince, makes a tenuous pact to stop his brother from instigating a violent reign. 100,000 first printing.
When creatures from myth and legend come out of the shadows, setting off a chain of seemingly unrelated events, people start disappearing, suicides and hate crimes increase and protests erupt globally—until the world finds out what has frightened the monsters out of the dark.
The last living member of the Silver Order, a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending humanity from vampires, stands alone to fight and tell his story in a world where the sun hasn’t risen in 27 years. 100,000 first printing.
A 115-year-old man lies on his deathbed as the 2016 election results arrive, and revisits his life in a story of love, fatherhood, and the American century from a Pulitzer Prize winner.
“January 29, 1863. United States Army troops attack a Shoshoni village on the banks of the Bear River in what is now southeastern Idaho. Four hours later, the army abandons the field, leaving behind the dead bodies of some three hundred men, women, and children. This all-but-forgotten massacre stands today as the worst killing of Indians by the military in the history of the American West. In the pages of And the River Ran Red, four-time Spur Award-winning author Rod Miller puts human faces and feelings on this incomparable tragedy. Follow Shoshoni leaders Bear Hunter and Sagwitch, military officers Colonel Patrick Edward Connor and Major Edward F. McGarry, Mormon leader Brigham Young, and frontiersman Porter Rockwell in a tapestry of intrigue and violence leading up to the massacre, and its aftermath. Chilling in its detail, scrupulous in its portrayal of history, And the River Ran Red sheds light on a dark day that deserves to come out of the shadows and find its place in the history of the West”
A groundbreaking, urgent report from the front lines of “dirty work”—the work that society considers essential but morally compromised. 50,000 first printing. Index.
Can reading a book make you more rational? Can it help us understand why there is so much irrationality in the world? The author of Enlightenment Now answers all the questions
“Combining a journalist’s investigative eye with her unborn second child as an experimental guinea pig, Baby, Unplugged draws on Sophie Brickman’s own experiences as a journalist and parent to try to discover what aspects of technology are actually helpful, which are making us crazy, and most importantly, how we might learn to trust ourselves and our instincts again when it comes to raising children”
“A riveting exploration of the phenomenon of psychosomatic disorders, mass hysteria, and other culture-bound syndromes occurring around the world. In Sweden, hundreds of refugee children fall asleep for months and years at a time. In upstate New York, teenage girls develop involuntary twitches and seizures that spread like a contagion. In the US Embassy in Cuba, employees experience headaches and memory loss after hearing strange noises in the night. There are more than 200 officially listed culture-bound syndromes–specific sets of symptoms that exist in a particular culture–affecting people around the world. In The Sleeping Beauties, Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan–a prize winning British neurologist–investigates psychosomatic disorders and mass hysteria, traveling the world to visit communities suffering from these so-called “mystery” illnesses. From a derelict post-Soviet mining town in Kazakhstan, to the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua, to the heart of the Maria Mountains in Colombia, O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of culture-bound syndromes related by an array of people from all walks of life. She presents these curious and often distressing case studies of seeming mass hysteria with compassion and humanity, persuasively arguing that psychologicalsuffering demands much greater respect and discussion than it’s given at present. In attempting to understand the complexity of psychogenic illness, O’Sullivan has given us a book of both fascination and serious concern as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe”
An illustrated guide to the animals and insects that live in our yards and gardens and act as helpful friends by pollinating and keeping pests in check and includes information on welcoming and nurturing these creatures. Original. 10,000 first printing. Illustrations.
“Modern Freezer Meals provides one hundred fresh recipes for frozen food–from healthy, vibrant grain bowls to proteins cooked straight from the freezer with tons of flavor still intact. Frozen food guru Ali Rosen offers proper packing and labeling techniques to shatter some of the myths around freezer meals. The days of freezer burn or giant blocks of unwieldy meals are replaced by dozens of dishes that stand up to the cold”
“The entire history of popular music over the past fifty years refracted through the big genres that have defined and dominated it-including rock, country, punk, R&B, dance and hip-hop-woven together into a cosmic reckoning with music’s evolution as a popular art form, as a huge cultural and economic force, and as an essential component to our identities, from Black Sabbath to Black Flag to Beyoncé, and beyond”
Told for the first time, this legendary story, which was the inspiration for the film Raiders of the Lost Ark follows a British rogue nobleman, who, after being dared to do so, headed a secret 1909 expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. 75,000 first printing. Illustrations.
In July 2019, Nick took a hiking trip to Glacier National Park with his friends Jeff Tweedy and George Saunders. The trip, and the conversations between the three men, began a study and exploration of both the American West and its National Parks that addresses so many of the important issues that affect America today. This book both maps out the group’s travels and dives deeply into subjects such as: the history and geology of the National Parks of the West; farming, animal life, and conservation; the importance of outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing.
Many activities are planned for Fort Scott’s entertainment this Halloween.
Starting Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Common Ground Coffee House Fort Scott High School Debate and Forensic Students will be reading spooky stories.
Friday, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Presbyterian Village Assisted Living staff will be hosting trick or treaters outside the facility.
Also Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m., Briggs Auto Lot will be hosting trick or treaters.
Saturday at Buck Run Community Center from 9 to 10 a.m., kids can make creepy, crawly crafts for $1 and then come back from 1 to 3 p.m. to carve a pumpkin for $3.
At the Butcher Block, one can purchase smoked turkey legs or hot dogs for dinner and enjoy caramel apples at 6 p.m.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Halloween Parade will be held Saturday, October 30 at 11 a.m. in downtown Fort Scott.
Starting at 10:30 a.m., there will be special activities including pictures with a spooktacular backdrop at the City Scales building on North Main Street, and face painting by Fort Scott High School Thespians.
The parade of children will trick-or-treat merchants along Main Street, starting at La Hacienda Restaurant, south to 2nd Street, crossing the street then heading north back to Skubitz Plaza, according to a Chamber press release.
Here are the business names that will be set up in front of The Liberty Theatre/Crooners: Front Door Real Estate, Fort Scott Gun and Pawn, Dr. Burke’s Office, and Paws and Claws.
Any businesses or organizations in the community, not located along Main Street, are welcome to set up a table on the sidewalk also providing treats, coupons, or other handouts for kids, according to the release.
Children are encouraged to bring a sack or bag to collect treats along the parade route.
Following the parade, a free hot dog lunch will be served to kids in costumes, according to the release.
The Chamber wishes to thank the sponsors which include, Briggs, Niece, Empress Center, KTCCU, Sharky’s, Valu-Merchandisers, Fort Scott Inn, Fort Scott Family Dental, Crain Insurance Agency, 3D Alternator, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, and Walgreens.
For more information contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at 620-223-3566.
On Sunday, October 3, Sonic Drive-In Restuarant will have 50 cent corndogs for sale all day.
On Sunday evening, both Community Christan Church and the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene will be hosting trunk and treats for the community.
Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.
Students of Saint Martin’s Academy will be the featured entertainment at this week’s Friday Night Concert. The school currently has an enrollment of 55 boys, ages 13 to 18. The music department is under the direction of Dave Agee and Daniel Kerr.
“This lively group of young men will warm your heart with their endearing performances of folk, country, and gospel songs,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “In addition to their musical talent, these students have proven to be an asset to the community with their willingness to help out in various areas. We are pleased to welcome Saint Martin’s Academy back to perform in our downtown pavilion. This concert will conclude the 2021 season, so bring a friend and join us for an enjoyable evening of music.”
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Stephan Moses will serve as sound technician this week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
The unveiling of the exhibit honoring African American Suffragettes Mamie Dillard and Carrie Langston Hughes by Lowell Milken Center Docent Rhonda Hassig, left, and Miah Lugrand, the principal of Pinckney Elementary School, Lawrence, KS. Both Dillard and Hughes lived in Lawrence.
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, 1 S. Main, has expanded its’ exhibits into the park south of the building.
On October 8, the center hosted an unveiling of two Kansas black women who were suffragettes in the movement to allow women to vote. The exhibit was sponsored by a Kansas Humanities Grant and featured Carrie Langston Hughes and Mamie Dillard.
In addition, that day several new exhibits were unveiled in the green space area south of the center, named the Unsung Heroes Park.
“The objectives of the park are to provide a place for visitors to enjoy the pleasant outdoor scenery, learn about unsung heroes, and offer a centralized community gathering space for programs and activities, while also complementing the downtown area,” according to a prior LMC press release.
A Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes screen announcing the new exhibit featuring Kansas Suffragettes Carrie Langston Hughes and Mamie Dillard.
The new outside exhibits in the Unsung Heroes Park are inter-changeable and will be occasionally switched out, Ronda Hassig, LMC Docent, said.
“We are still awaiting murals that will be placed on the north side of the center, facing Wall Street and also on the south side of the center, facing the park,” she said.
The biggest part of the funding for the park was by the center’s founder Lowell Milken. Milken believes “education can awaken the mind, sustain curiosity and strengthen our engagement with others. More importantly, … education has the power to instill in people the impulse to take initiative for the good of others,” according to the LMC for Unsung Heroes website.
Others who helped with the park funding: the American Association of Retired People Challenge Award, The Timken Foundation, and a Sunderland Grant, Hassig said.
Lowell Milken Center Director Norm Conard, left, welcomes the crowd to the unveiling of new exhibits on Oct. 8. Megan Felt, LMC Program Director; Ronda Hassig, LMC Docent; Robert Nelson who sang a moving spiritual as part of the program and Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp look on.
Norm Conard, left, watches as Kirk Sharp and Robert Nelson unveil the Gordon Parks exhibit, which is part of the new expanded space for exhibits south of the Lowell Milken Center in downtown Fort Scott.The storyboard, also called a story rail, of Gordon Parks, who had a humble beginning in Fort Scott and went on to be a famed photographer, journalist, author, and film producer.One of the new exhibits features Mary Anning.Chester Nez, a World War II Veteran, who was a Navajo Code Talker in service to his country, is featured on the new story rail in the Lowell Milken Center Unsung Heroes Park.Juanita Moody is a new featured exhibit in the Unsung Heroes Park.Amos Bronson Alcott is newly featured in the Unsung Heroes Park.A waterfall feature adds to the beauty of the Unsung Heroes Park.The greenspace south of the Lowell Milken Center at Main and Wall Street in downtown Fort Scott has new exhibits in the expanded area. The picture is taken from the southside of the center looking south. Main Street is to the right.
The Fort Scott High School Performing Arts Department presents the new musical “Ranked” by Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes.
Performances are Nov. 9 and 11 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 13 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the FSHS Auditorium, 1005 S. Main. Over fifty FSHS students are involved in the acting, singing, dancing, and technical aspects of the show.
“Ranked” presents a dystopian high school where the theme, “Buy your grades. Buy your future. But what happens when the rest of the world finds out?” comes to the surface.
Rankedmusical.com describes the plot this way: “Lily is Above the Average, barely. Soon the giant, and very public, academic leaderboards will update everyone’s class rank, and for another day, everyone will know their place. If you fall Below the Average – say goodbye to college, and pretty much everything else… In the face of an intense and perverse culture of performance, Lily must find her place in the status quo as she watches friends and enemies alike destroy themselves and each other to score their way to the top. When an impossible lie is discovered, the fate of these students’ futures hangs in the balance.”
The new musical was conceived by Granite Bay High School in 2018 and debuted just weeks after the College Admission Scandal took the nation by storm.
“‘Ranked’ offers students the opportunity to shed light on the pressure placed on them to perform to the point of perfection, despite the inequities they may face in society,” Theatre Director Angie Bin said. “This musical has given the students significant buy-in as a way to share the stressors that many of them face.”
The production is also directed by Music Director Whitley Chesney, Choreographer and Assistant Music Director Mary Jo Harper, and Technical Director Alex Chesney.
“This is my first time as a music director for a musical. It’s wonderful to learn with these students. I enjoy working with students that aren’t in choir, as I never see them outside of rehearsal,” said Whitley Chesney. “‘Ranked’ has been a great show for students to experience real world issues. We have been able to have several conversations about how things in the show can relate to our lives. It has been cool to see how the students take their own experiences and incorporate them into their acting choices.”
Lily is portrayed by junior Courtney Shelton. Other lead actors include juniors Ella McElroy and Israel Carreno, senior Ashlynn Bagnall, and sophomores Casey Gomez and Lexi Hill.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for those under 18 and are available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. Parental guidance is suggested and seating is limited. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.
Bethel Community Church will provide the music for this week’s Friday Night Concert. “The performing musicians and vocalists represent a diversity of ages and talent. The audience is sure to enjoy their program of gospel music excellence,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “I’m very pleased to welcome the Bethel Community Church to the park pavilion. The concert season is nearly over, so we encourage everyone to take advantage of this musical presentation Friday evening.”
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main Streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Dave Oas of Parsons serves as sound technician each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
John Mason, left, leads a discussion on Gordon Parks’ book A Choice of Weapons, with Harold Hicks, one of the book club facilitators, attending on the Zoom screen. A Fort Scott Community College Book Club had been discussing the book in previous weeks. Mason is a history professor at the University of Virginia. In the book, Parks states that his weapons of choice in the fight against bigotry and poverty were love, dignity, and hard work. The book discussion was on Oct. 8 at the Ellis Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp gives an introduction to the Lunch and Learn speaker on Oct. 8 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. The speaker, Angela Bates, is on the left.
The annual Gordon Parks Celebration weekend Oct. 7-9 was packed with events to educate and entertain.
The Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton.
Parks was an African American documentary photojournalist, photographer, musician, writer and director, with humble beginnings in Fort Scott.
He died in 2006.
There were photo exhibits and a local photo contest, speakers, tours, film showings, entertainment, book discussions, and the opening of the Learning Tree Tourism Trail.
Two African American men were honored as the “Choice of Weapons” annual recipients, Kyle Johnson and Eli Reed.
Kyle Johnson is an actor, performer, and activist. Submitted photo.
Eli Reed is a photographer, author, producer, and director. Submitted photo.
During the weekend celebration, The Learning Tree Tourism Trail was introduced.
The Learning Tree Tourism Trail is a series of signs located at the different locations where the filming of The Learning Tree took place around Fort Scott. The signs include QR codes, to be used with a smartphone, along with a virtual tour of the identified scene locations of the film, according to a Gordon Parks Museum press release.
Angela Bates speaks on Nicodemus, an African American town in Kansas, at a Lunch and Learn as part of the Gordon Parks Celebration on October 8. Nicodemus, KS was a community of African Americans who came following the Civil War to start new lives as free people. Bates said the first year, 1877, the Potowattamie and Osage Tribes of indigenous peoples helped the newcomers with food.
The annual photography contest in conjunction with the Gordon Parks Celebration had the winners on display at the Ellis Arts Center on the campus of FSCC.
Additionally on display were some of Parks’ photos and photos of The Learning Tree, the autobiographical film that Parks wrote and directed.
Winners of the Gordon Parks Celebration “Fashion & Diversity” photo contest, sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography, are below.
Twenty-six entries were received and the winner of First Place was Johanna Walker (Franklin, KS) with the photo titled “Spotlight.”
Second Place was also Johanna Walker with the photo “Johnny.”
Third Place was Frank Clay with his photo, “Enjoying Each Other.”
First, Second, and Third place winners received cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 respectively.
There were six Honorable Mentions named: “Diversity.” by (Yasser Alaa Mobarak,( Alexandria, Egypt.); “Skating the Disaster.” by Julie Steck (Merriam, KS); “Jewels of Plenty” by Bareigh Farrell (Fort Scott); “Portrait.” by Yasser Alaa Mobarak, (Alexandria, Egypt); “Queen of Color” by Alexxus Browning, Tulsa, OK and “Baby Blue.” by Adelay Martin (Redfield, KS).
The contest was open to any non-professional photographer and was inspired by Gordon Parks, who started his career in fashion photography and chose a camera to fight against racism, discrimination, and poverty.
Judges for the photo contest were professional photographer, Veretta Cobler, and established make-up artist and hairstylist, Donna Fumoso based in New York City.
The photo exhibit is on display in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center through October 15. The building is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
First Place was Johanna Walker (Franklin, KS) with the photo titled “Spotlight.”Johanna Walker, Franklin, KS was second-place winner in the Gordon Parks Photography Contest. The contest winners were one of many artistic displays at the Gordon Parks Celebration.Enjoying Each Other, a photograph by Frank Clay, Overland Park, KS was the third-place winner of the Gordon Parks Photography Contest.
Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.
DJ Brown and The Bourbon County Revival will be the featured entertainment at this week’s Friday Night Concert. The local four-piece band plays classic rock, country, and Red Dirt. Band members are Danny Brown on acoustic guitar and vocals, Robert Uhler on drums, Jerry Bahr on banjo, electric, acoustic and bass guitars, and vocals, and Randy Brasuell on mandolin, fiddle, bass and electric guitars, and vocals.
“These guys have been playing together for quite some time and are a crowd favorite,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “This band is a delight to hear and we are pleased to welcome them back to perform in our downtown pavilion. Bring a friend and join us for an evening of superb musical talent.“
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Dave Oas of Parsons serves as sound technician each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
The annual Gordon Parks Celebration in Fort Scott did not happen last year.
“We were not able to have 17th annual celebration last year due to COVID, so we wanted to make up for that misfortune and combine them both for this year and make it the 17th and 18th annual celebration,” Kirk Sharp, director of the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, said.
Kirk Sharp is the director of the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. Submitted photo
This year there are three full days to look at the past and encourage creativity and activism in the future.
The activities are listed by day:
Thursday, October 7
A photo exhibit in the Lunt Lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton will feature a photo contest, whose theme was “Fashion and Diversity.” Winners of the contest will be announced at the Fort Scott Chamber Coffee. The contest is sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography, Fort Scott.
“Also part of the photo exhibit will be some of The Gordon Parks Mercy Foundation Collection with Gordon’s photos and poems, and behind the scenes photographs of the film Shaft and The Learning Tree,” Sharp said. “We will also have a promotional display of the Gordon Park: Homeward to the Prairie I Come Exhibition that is taking place now until May 2022 at the Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University.”
There will be a sign and mural display featuring Gordon Parks at the Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes, 1 S. Main, and also at the Riverfront Park, 400 N. National.
From 8-9 a.m., the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee will be a Gunn Park, Shelter House 1, hosted by the Gordon Parks Museum. This weekly coffee will announce the grand opening and ribbon-cutting event of The Learning Tree Film Scene Sign Trail.
In case of inclement weather, the event will be in the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium.
9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., The film The Learning Tree will be shown at the Gordon Parks Museum, FREE – Introduced by Kyle Johnson.
10 a.m. – 3: p.m., Registration for the celebration opens (Outside of Museum)
10 a.m. – 3 p.m., “Mayhew Cemetery” and “Homeward to the Prairie, I Come Exhibition” table displays will be available at the museum.
11:50 a.m. – 1 p.m., “Gordon Parks: Fort Scott and The Learning Tree Revisited” is a free lunch and learn at the Ellis Center. Local historian Arnold Schofield will open with a short presentation on the history of Gordon Parks and his return visit to his hometown of Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1950, as documented in the book Back to Fort Scott. Schofield will then introduce keynote speaker, John Edgar Tidwell, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kansas for a presentation on The Learning Tree legacy, comparing and contrasting the book and film. The presentation will also cover the importance of the cultural and historical impact of them both, along with the story and subject matter compared to today.
John Edgar Tidwell. Submitted photo.
Box lunches with sandwich wraps, desserts, and drinks are available in the lobby for $8 – to purchase that day – or bring your lunch and grab available desserts and join the lunch and learn.
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., There will be a guided trolley tour of Gordon Parks’ Fort Scott & The Learning Tree film scene locations. Meet at the entrance of the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center to see the places in Fort Scott that are part of Gordon Parks’ history. (Fee: $7)
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Showing of the film Moments Without Proper Names (Gordon Parks Museum, FREE).
“Moments without Proper Names is a film directed by Gordon Parks in 1986,” Sharp said. “This film has a wonderful mixture of Gordon’s iconic photos that he has taken during his career and his most updated photographic work during that time along with some of his musical compositions. It is narrated by actors Avery Brooks, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Joe Seneca.”
6:45 p.m. – 7 p.m., “Gordon Parks: Homeward to the Prairie I Come” Exhibition (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium, FREE).
Aileen Wang. Photo by Doug Barrett. Submitted.
Aileen Wang, curator at Kansas State University’s Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art will discuss the current exhibition that features photographs that were donated by Parks to K.S.U., in 1973 and work by the photographer, Doug Barrett.
Doug Barrett. Submitted photo.
The social hour starts at 6 p.m. with wine and light refreshments available.
7 p.m., “All things Kansas” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium, FREE) – Doug Barrett, photographer and videographer based in Manhattan, Kansas, will share some of his work and show how Gordon Parks continues to inspire contemporary artists. Barrett covers all things in the American Midwest. Some of his recognized work includes his project started in 2018 documenting homeless veterans living on the streets across America. He is currently documenting the black community on Yuma Street in Manhattan, Kansas, and covered the civil unrest last year within black America. This performance was supported in part by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Friday, October 8
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Registration open (outside of Gordon Parks Museum)
Doug Barrett. Submitted photo.
9 a.m. – 9:50 a.m., “All things Kansas, Part 2” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center, FREE) – Doug Barrett, photographer, and videographer will continue the presentation of his work and show how Gordon Parks continues to inspire contemporary artists.
10 a.m. – 3 p.m., “Mayhew Cemetery” and “Homeward to the Prairie I Come Exhibition” (Gordon Parks Museum/FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center).
10:05 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., “A Conversation with Choice of Weapon Honorees.” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium, FREE) – The 2021 “Choice of Weapons Award” honorees, Kyle Johnson and Eli Reed.
Kyle Johnson. Submitted photo.
Eli Reed. Submitted photo.
11:30 a.m. – noon, “I Needed Paris”(FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium, FREE) – With Michael Cheers, Associate Professor of Photojournalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University.
Michael Cheers. Submitted photo.
This will be the launch event for the immersive educational experience that will take a group of diverse American and Parisian student photographers through Paris, traversing the same streets and neighborhoods as Gordon Parks. These students will reimagine Gordon’s spirit as a fashion photographer while using the same type of camera Gordon used – twin lens reflex film cameras. Student participants will style and photograph their models at some of the same locations chosen by Parks.
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m., “Children of the Promised Land” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium, FREE), Lunch and Learn.
Angela Bates. Submitted photo.
Angela Bates, executive director of the Nicodemus Historical Society, will explore the lives of free-born children after the Civil War. Nicodemus, Kansas, a small unincorporated town in Graham County, is the only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War.
“Children of the Promised Land” is part of Humanities Kansas’ Movement of Ideas Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and workshops designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement. The program is brought to the community by Humanities Kansas.
Sack lunches are available in the lobby for $8 – to purchase that day, or bring your lunch.
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., “Book Club Presentation, A Choice of Weapons” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center, FREE) – With John Mason, Associate Professor, Associate Chair, University of Virginia Department of History and Eli Reed, Choice of Weapon Honoree.
Hosted by Susie Arvidson, Fort Scott Community College Librarian. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
John Mason. Submitted photo.
2:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., “Eli Reed, Photography Collection of Works” – Photographer, author, and Choice of Weapons Honoree Reed, will provide a short presentation of some of his photography.
3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m., African-American Suffragists Exhibit Reveal (Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, 1 S. Main St., FREE). Come to the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes for the unveiling of a new panel exhibit featuring Kansas suffragists Mamie Dillard and Carrie Langston Hughes. Also, visit the Unsung Heroes Park, where Gordon Parks is one of the featured signs. (Refreshments available).
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Guided trolley tour of Gordon Parks’ Fort Scott & The Learning Tree film scene locations.
Meet at the entrance of the Ellis Center and see the places in Fort Scott that are part of Gordon Parks’ history. (Fee: $7)
7:30 p.m., “A Night of Hot Jazz and R&B” (The River Room, 3 W. Oak St.) – Featuring, Dominique Hammons, multi-talented contemporary jazz, and R&B violinist.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a cash bar available. All seats are reserved (fee: $30.00 each or $35 at the door). Supported in part by Peerless Products, Inc. in Fort Scott.
Saturday, October 9th
9: a.m. to 3 p.m., Registration open (outside of Gordon Parks Museum)
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., “Mayhew Cemetery” and “Homeward to the Prairie I Come Exhibition” Table Display (Gordon Parks Museum/FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center)
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., “Just Talking about Shaft” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum, FREE).
Kevin Willmott. Submitted photo.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the film Shaft. University of Kansas film professor and Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott will host a conversation with David Parks about the film. David will share his insight and experience during the filming and Kevin will talk about the impact of the iconic film along with some behind-the-scenes clips of Gordon Parks directing and producing the film. (Coffee, water, juice, and light refreshments will be available.)
11 a.m. – noon., Panel Discussion, “Racism, Discrimination and Poverty” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum, FREE) – Join us for a panel discussion on racism, discrimination, and poverty. Gordon Parks used his camera and writings to fight against bigotry and poverty. People are using the same weapons as Gordon used to fight this same battle. Moderated by John Mason, Associate Professor, University of Virginia Department of History with featured panelists; Michael Cheers, Associate Professor, San Jose State University, Eli Reed, Choice of Weapons Honoree, Kyle Johnson, Choice of Weapons Honoree, Doug Barrett, photographer, and Robin Hickman-Winfield, CEO and Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions and great-niece of Gordon Parks.
Noon – 1 p.m., “Picnic on the Patio” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center) – Join us for some great E3 hamburgers, along with chips, drinks, etc. Sponsored by E3 Meat Co.
1 – 1:30 p.m., “Reflections on the Commemoration and Celebration of Greenwood 2021” (FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum, FREE) – The presentation will cover the seven important events as seen by photographer Don Thompson as the historic Tulsa, Oklahoma, Greenwood District move forward from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to the future.
Don Thompson. Submitted photo.
2:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Showing of the film Shaft (Gordon Parks Museum, FREE) – Introduced by David Parks.
7 p.m., social hour starts at 6 p.m.), “Celebration Tribute Dinner” at the Liberty Theater, 113 S. Main St. This is an evening of celebration, dinner, and tribute; a 50th anniversary retrospective of the release of the film Shaft, and presentation of the 2021 “Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” to Kyle Johnson and Eli Reed. All seats reserved (fee: $30.00 – reserve by Wednesday, October 6th).
Sunday, October 10
10 a.m., Breakfast at Crooner’s Lounge, at one of Fort Scott’s finest, 117 S. Main Street. Check out the menu at: fscrooners.com. Everyone pays for their food.
Schedule subject to change. Please check at www.gordonparkscenter.org for any updates.
The Gordon Parks Museum Board is comprised of Janice Fewins, Elouise Young, Jane Campbell, Latisha Kelley-Cook, Marion Stepps, Angel Wilson, Debra Wood, and ShayLynn Clements.
