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Category Archives: Gordon Parks Museum
Historic Church Property Donated to the Gordon Parks Museum
Fort Scottian Josh Jones purchased the property at 301 Lowman for a philanthropic purpose.
“I purchased it from the owner with the intent to transfer it to the Gordon Parks Museum,” Jones said. “I knew of the historic meaning of the property and wanted to get it to them.”
Left to right): Josh Jones, along with Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Director and Sarah Smith, member of the Fort Scott Community College Foundation. Submitted photo.
On the property once stood the historic African-American Methodist Episcopal Church.
Now it’s the property of the Gordon Parks Museum, thanks to Jones and the Fort Scott Community College Foundation, according to a press release from the museum director, Kirk Sharp.
“The FSCC Foundation Department helped with getting it deeded into their name, the museum is under its umbrella,” Sharp said.
“Jones donated the site on the southeast corner of Third and Lowman streets where the church, attended regularly by Gordon Parks and his family, was located,” according to the press release. “The church was also used in a scene from Parks’ acclaimed film, The Learning Tree.”
Gordon Parks, 1950.
Photo Courtesy of and Copyright by The Gordon Parks Foundation
“We are very excited about this donation and can’t thank Josh and the Foundation enough,” said Sharp. “This donation creates this wonderful opportunity to keep this incredible history alive in Fort Scott. This is also the same location that is located on our Learning Tree Film Sign Trail.”
The tentative plans, Sharp said, are to develop the property as a commemorative, low-maintenance park neighborhood-type park with signs, photos, benches and short walls with a history of the church as a tribute.
“The museum will look for possible grants and donations to help fund this project,” he said. “There is currently no timeline as of now for the completion of the tribute project.”
In its heyday, the church, established in 1866, was the hub of Fort Scott’s black community, according to the press release. The church moved from its original location in 1885, occupying a new brick building on the corner of Third and Lowman, where it stood at 301 S. Lowman with a viable congregation for more than 115 years.
A reduction in members and unsafe conditions eventually led to its condemnation and razing in the early 2000s, Sharp said. One of the stained-glass windows and two of the pews are on exhibit at the Gordon Parks Museum.
“The largest congregation was believed to have been in 1888,” he said. “The city directory for that year indicates the membership was 260 and the Sunday school membership was 100.”
The AME church was Fort Scott’s first and oldest black church with Shiloh Baptist being the second.
Free Photography Workshop Series At Gordon Parks Museum
Gordon Parks Museum: Free Photography Workshops
Free Photography Workshops Sponsored by
Kansas State University Art Department
Fort Scott, Kan. June. 14, 2023 – Shreepad Joglekar, Associate Professor of Photography at Kansas State University and Professional Photographer, Veretta Cobler will provide free workshops series on working with film and digital photography.
These in-depth workshops are designed to help any beginner, student, novice and the professional learn how to get the most out of their film or digital cameras, or even cell phones. More experience photographers will learn some techniques to help them improve and enhance their work.
Interested participants are encouraged to attend the whole series to benefit the most.
These workshops will also help to prepare photographers to be part of the Back to Fort Scott, Now project in taking photos with the reimaging of Gordon Parks photographs that he had taken in 1950 for a LIFE magazine assignment.
The workshops will be held on Friday, June 23, 2023, Friday, July 7, 2023 and Friday, August 11, 2023. The times for each of the workshops will be 10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m
The workshops are free to attend, but registration to attend each the workshops is required. Registration is available either online at http//www.gordonparkscenter.org/events, or by phone 620-223-2700 ext. 5850 or by email at [email protected]
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Gordon Parks Celebration Oct. 5-7
Gordon Parks Museum Receives Humanities Kansas Grant
TOPEKA – Humanities Kansas recently awarded $6,979 to the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott to support “Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks Exhibit Display,” a moveable exhibit that explores the works and friendship between two cultural giants who had roots in Kansas. Kirk Sharp serves as project director.
This project will produce exhibit panel displays with a theme that highlights both Langston’s and Gordon’s lives and careers. The displays will target the history, journey, friendship, collaborations and connection of these two pioneers in the field of arts.
The panel displays will include graphics, photos and text information and follow both of their journeys as a poet and photographer, respectively and their impact on the arts. These panels will be portable, so they could easily be moved and displayed at different universities, libraries, and organizations across the state
of Kansas.
The project will also feature the launch of the exhibit display and speakers’ presentation on Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks, during the 20th annual Gordon Parks Celebration at the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, Kansas on October 5–7, 2023.
During the celebration, there will also be a digital
interactive display on Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks. “The exhibit displays creates a great opportunity in helping to keep both of the legacies and triumphs of Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks
alive.” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director.
“Humanities Kansas believes that Kansans are energized by people engaging with history,” said Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This traveling exhibit project will connect people with their past and strengthen a sense of community and pride of place.”
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, HK’s pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and
generate insights.
Together with statewide partners and supporters, HK inspires all Kansans to draw on diverse histories, literatures, and cultures to enrich their lives and to serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Local Project Director Kirk Sharp
Executive Director Gordon Parks Museum
2108 S. Horton St
Fort Scott, KS 66701 620–223–2700, ext. 5850,
kirks@ fortscott.edu
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The Gordon Parks Museum Photo Contest
MERL HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHY PRESENTS
The 2023 Gordon Parks Museum
Photo Contest
(Open to any non-professional photographer)
THEME:“Family, Home and Roots”
This photo contest is inspired by Gordon Parks and his love for his family and upbringing. This is open to any amateur photographer. Photographers are invited to capture the essence of the theme.
Who can participate?
Amateur (nonprofessional) photographers of all ages and skill levels are invited to take pictures for the project.
How many photos can I enter? No more than 2.
Are there prizes?
Yes! There will be a first place ($100), second place ($75) and third place ($50) prize and up to five honorable
mentions. Winners will be announced at the Gordon Parks Celebration.
All photos submitted that are accepted, will be on exhibit during the 20th annual Gordon Parks Celebration on Oct. 5 – 7, 2023. All accepted photos will also be posted on the Gordon Parks Website and Facebook page.
How do I submit?
Photographs must be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]. All photos must be in JPEG format and limit file size to less than 2 MB. Photographers should submit attached photo in JPEG format, with
the title, their name, address, email, and phone number. If under 14 years old please include parent’s information.
When do I have to submit my entries?
Photos should be received via email by Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at the latest.
Anything else I need to know?
The Gordon Parks Museum reserves the right to not accept or display any submitted photo(s) that would be considered to be
obscene, violent or in any other way objectionable or inappropriate and/or that do not hold to the standards of FSCC policy or the
mission of the Gordon Parks Museum.
It is the photographer’s responsibility to make sure they have permission to take and use the photograph subject’s image.
By entering the contest, you retain the rights to your works while granting The Gordon Parks Museum the unrestricted, royalty-free, perpetual right to use, reproduce, communicate modify and display the works (in whole or in part) for any purpose without any fee or other form of compensation, and without further notification or permission.
By participating in this contest, you release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Gordon Parks Museum and its employees, directors, officers, affiliates, agents, judges and advertising and promotional agencies from any and all damages, injuries, claims, causes of actions, or losses of any kind resulting from your participation in this contest or receipt or use of any prize.
Sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography
5 N. Main St., Fort Scott, KS
Questions? Email [email protected] Or call 223-2700, ext. 5850
Gordon Parks Museum receives Evergy Community Investment Grant
Fort Scott, Kan. April. 17, 2023 – A $5,000 Evergy Community Investment Grant was awarded recently to the Gordon Parks Museum to support the “Back to Fort Scott, Now” project designed to reimagine a series of images taken in 1950 by the celebrated photographer.
On assignment for Life magazine in May 1950, Parks shot several photos to illustrate a story on segregated schools in America utilizing his classmates at Plaza School in Fort Scott.
The completed assignment, however, was never published. Although still somewhat of a mystery as to why the spread was never used, most likely, it was bumped first by the outbreak of the Korean conflict, then, a year later, by Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s dismissal as supreme commander of the armed forces by President Harry Truman.
In 2015, the project was rediscovered and made into a book, “Back to Fort Scott, and exhibition, which debuted at the Boston Museum of Art.
Now, according to museum and project director Kirk Sharp, the book and exhibition is the basis for the current project, which features the work of local, student and professional photographers, who will convene in Fort Scott from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 to recreate Park’s images from 73 years ago.
Collaborators include Michael Cheers of San Jose State University, Nick Homburg, Shreepad Joglekar and Katherine Karlin of Kansas State University, and Vivian Zavataro of the Ulrich Museum of Art in Wichita.
The photos are scheduled for display during the 20th annual Gordon Parks Celebration on Oct. 5-7 at Fort Scott Community College. Millers Professional Imaging of Pittsburg is printing the images, which also are to be included in two-volume book set and video documentary.
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Legendary Olympian Gold Medalist Billy Mays April 12 at Gordon Parks Museum
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Black History Month Celebration Event
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Lunch and Learn: The Kansas City Monarchs
Celebrating Black History Month at the Gordon Parks Museum
The Gordon Parks Museum
At Fort Scott Community College
Celebrating Black History Month
Come in and view the Black History Month Tribute Panel Exhibit. This consist of over 100 different posters, photos and information of some of the great and important Black Innovators and Leaders throughout history. The exhibit also features some inspiring and moving quotes.
Located in the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center from
February 1- 24, 2023.
On display each day, will be a Black History Month “Quote of the Day”.
This will have inspiring and moving quotes by different people.
The “Quote of the Day” provides a great opportunity for any faculty, staff and coaches to help promote educational activities throughout the month to keep black history and diversity at the forefront along with encouraging your students to keep learning more!
This would be a great way to open a creative discussion and to highlight a different person every day or week with your class or team and ask questions about the meaning and relevance of each quote or fact and how it might relate to our lives the lives others and what is happening in the world today.