Category Archives: Gordon Parks Museum

The Learning Tree Tourism Trail Grand Opening is Oct. 7

A panel in the Gordon Parks Museum.

The Gordon Parks Museum is pleased to announce the grand opening and ribbon-cutting event of the Learning Tree Film Trail and the “Lunch and Learn” presentation
“Gordon Parks: Fort Scott and The Learning Tree Revisited”.

The grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Learning Tree Film Trail will be Thursday, October 7, 2021, at 8:00 a.m.

The grand opening will be at Gunn Park, Shelter House #1, 1010 Park Ave. Fort Scott.

This is one of the locations that was used during filming in 1968.

Brochures with maps will be available to help locate the other signs on the trail.

This will be the kickoff event of the 17th & 18th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration events and will also be held in conjunction with the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Coffee.

The film trail is a series of signs located at the different locations where the filming of The Learning Tree took place. The signs will also include QR codes along with a virtual tour of the identified scene locations of the film.

There will also be a “Lunch and Learn” presentation later the same day Thursday, October 7, 2021, with keynote speaker, John Edgar Tidwell, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kansas.

The presentation titled “Gordon Parks: Fort Scott and The Learning Tree Revisited”.

This will be held at Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center from 11:50 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The event is free to the public and participants are able to bring their lunch and drinks with them. Box lunch and drink are available for $8. Dessert will also be available.

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.

Mr. Schofield will then introduce keynote speaker, John Edgar Tidwell, for a presentation on Gordon Parks’ The Learning Tree legacy in 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.

The Gordon Parks Museum has received a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and Humanities Kansas to assist with funding support for this project.

The Gordon Parks Museum extends an invitation to the public to attend both of the events, especially the citizens of Fort Scott, Bourbon County, and the four-state area.

About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
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Presentation Explores Lives of Free-Born Children after Civil War

Angela Bates. Submitted photo.

Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, KS, will host “Children of the Promised Land,” a presentation and discussion by Angela Bates during the 2021 Annual Gordon Parks Celebration events on Friday, October 8th at 12:15 P.M. at The Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton St. Fort Scott, KS.

Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact Kirk Sharp at 620 -223-2700 ext. 5850 for more information. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.
“This is a Lunch and Learn event so everyone is welcome to bring their lunch and drinks. Sack Lunch and Drink for ($8-purchase) will be also be available,” said Museum Director, Kirk Sharp.
Nicodemus, 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. Today the town is a National Historic Site. This pictorial history explores the unique experience of mothers and their children in Nicodemus, some of whom were the first members of their families born free.
Angela Bates is the executive director of the Nicodemus Historical Society. She presents educational programs across the nation covering Nicodemus, Exodusters and black towns in the West, Buffalo Soldiers, and black women in the West.
“My great uncle, Henry Williams, was the first baby born in Nicodemus just a month after my great-grandmother Emma arrived with the first group of settlers in 1877,” said Bates. “He was one of the first in his generation born on the free soils of Kansas. He represents the many children of his generation that were reared by parents who were former slaves.”
“Children of the Promised Land” is part of Humanities Kansas’s 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.

For more information about “Children of the Promised Land” contact the Gordon Parks
Museum at 620 -223-2700 ext. 5850 or visit http://www.gordonparkscenter.org/
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to
empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy.
Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented
and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our
partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and
culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call
home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
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Jazz and R and B Violinist Performs October 8

The Gordon Parks Museum Presents:
“DOMINIQUE HAMMONS”
“I AM STRADIVARI”
Multi-Talented Contemporary
Jazz & R&B Violinist
PERFORMING AT
The River Room
3 W. OAK ST., FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Performance at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $30 in advance, or $35 at the door.
Tickets are available at the Gordon Parks Museum or over the phone (620) 223.2700, Ext. 5850
ClickHEREto visit the Gordon Parks Museum website.
Click HEREto view the Press release from The Gordon Parks Museum and learn more about his amazing and talented performer that is coming to Fort Scott!

2021 Gordon Parks Museum Photo Contest Starts

A panel in the Gordon Parks Museum, located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton.

The 2021 Gordon Parks Museum to feature Photo Contest

Fort Scott, KS. -The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, will feature a photo contest sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography. This event is inspired by Gordon Parks, who started his career in fashion photography and chose a camera to fight against racism, discrimination, and poverty.

 

The theme of the contest, “Fashion and Diversity”, is for any amateur photographer. Photographers are invited to capture the essence of the theme.

 

Non-professional photographers of any age and skill level are invited to take pictures for the project and may enter up to two photos in JPEG format with less than 2MB. There will be a first place ($100), second place ($75) and third place ($50) prize and up to five honorable mentions. All photos submitted will be on exhibit at The Gordon Parks Museum and in the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Oct. 7 – 9, 2021. All photos will also be posted on the Gordon Parks Museum website and Facebook page. Judges for the photo contest will be professional photographer, Veretta Cobler and established make-up artist and hair stylist, Donna Fumoso based in New York City.

Photographs must be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]. All photos must be attached in JPEG format and limit file size to less than 2 MB. All entries will be confirmed via email. Photographers should submit (in their email) a title, along with their name, address, email, phone number and share a one or two sentence on what inspired the photo. If under 10 years old, please include parent’s information. Photos should be received via email by Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at the latest.

For more information, email [email protected] or by phone call 223-2700, ext. 5850.

Jazz and R and B Violinist to Play October 8

The Gordon Parks Museum Presents:
“DOMINIQUE HAMMONS”
“I AM STRADIVARI”
Multi-Talented Contemporary
Jazz & R&B Violinist
PERFORMING AT
The River Room
3 W. OAK ST., FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Performance at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $30 in advance, or $35 at the door.
Tickets are available at the Gordon Parks Museum or over the phone (620) 223.2700, Ext. 5850
ClickHERE to visit the Gordon Parks Museum website.
Click HEREto view the Press release from The Gordon Parks Museum and learn more about his amazing and talented performer that is coming to Fort Scott!

Parks Celebration to feature Contemporary Jazz and R&B Violinist

The 2021 Gordon Parks Celebration to feature Contemporary Jazz and R&B Violinist, Dominique Hammons.

Fort Scott-The Gordon Parks Celebration, scheduled for October 7 – 9, 2021, at Fort Scott Community College, will feature Contemporary Jazz and R&B violinist, Dominique Hammons in a music performance at 7:30 p.m. at the River Room in Fort Scott, KS on Friday, October 8th. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and a cash bar will be available.

This performance event was supported in part by Peerless Products, INC. in Fort Scott, KS.

We are very excited that we were able to bring Dominique Hammons back to Fort Scott once again for another electrifying performance.” This provides another great opportunity for anyone that was not able to attend Dominique’s last performance here to a packed house at the Liberty Theater.” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Director.

Dominique Hammons is a young, energetic, Contemporary/Jazz and R&B Violinist from Houston, TX and started playing classical violin at the age of eight.

Hammons attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston and was a member of the school orchestra program for four years.  After high school, Dominique attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in Jazz.

During the early part of middle and high school years, Hammons performed for four years with the Houston Youth Symphony Orchestra, receiving high accolades for excellence. Dominique also performed with other orchestra and chamber groups such as Virtuosi of Houston and TMEA All-State Orchestra. He was also chosen to study and perform with the Diaz Music Institute’s Youth Latin Jazz group, “Caliente”.

According from his biography, his ‘God given’ talent has been recognized with many awards and among them, the Houston Symphony’s “Young Artist Competition”, where he won the opportunity to play a solo on stage with the Houston Symphony. He also competed and won medals and recognitions while participating in NAACP “Actso” competitions.

Since graduation, Dominique has gravitated to teaching classical violin lessons to the youth who desire to follow in his footsteps; and continues to perform in the Houston and surrounding cities as a solo artist. His popularity has risen in high demand to perform at many venues and performs various genres of music such as classical, pop, gospel, jazz, hip hop and R&B.  His unique blend of music and style has granted him to perform across the nation such as Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, and Washington State.*(2020)

Hammon’s Musical career has led him to perform at the following events:

  • Selected to play the National Anthem during the pre-game show at the Houston Rockets game in November of 2018.

  • He was selected to audition for the ‘2019 America’s Got Talent’ competition.

  • Opening act for Johnathan Butler at the 2018 Martini Blue Jazz Festival. (Which Dominique received a standing ovation of a crowd of (3,000.)

  • Headliner for City of College Park & 7Flavors of Smooth Jazz Festival, Atlanta, GA.

Tickets are $30 each or $35 at the door. Tickets will be available at the Gordon Parks Museum located on the campus at Fort Scott Community College or over the phone (620)-223-2700 ext. 5850.

For more information about the Celebration, see the website at gordonparkscenter.org or email [email protected] or by phone call 223-2700, ext. 5850.