Gordon Parks Museum Black History Month Celebration: Featuring Film Screening: Many Fires This Time: We The 100 Million and Open Mic Afternoon Event
Fort Scott-The Gordon Parks Museum in celebration of Black History Month, will feature a film screening of
the film Many Fires This Time: We The 100 Million and an open mic event. The open mic afternoon event will start at 2:00pm and the film screening will start at 3:30p.m at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on Sunday, February 20th, 2022. This event is supported in part by the Fort Scott Community College Endowment Foundation.

The film Many Fires This Time: We the 100 Million is an award-winning documentary film that received the Gordon Parks Black Film Excellence Honorable Mention Award at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, KS. Directed by Jason R.A. Foster, and produced by Michael “Quess?” Moore and Jeremy Liu, Many Fires This Time: We The 100 Million is a poetic documentary about the 1 in 3 Americans, and counting, living in economic insecurity. It follows the journey of poet and activist A Scribe Called Quess? as he connects with fellow activist poets and the communities they represent, from Oakland to Chicago to Kentucky to his hometown of New Orleans.
The open mic afternoon event will take place prior to the film screening and is for any poets, rappers, musicians, or artists of all ages to read their work. Bring your friends, your poetry, your instruments, your beats, your inspirations, your creativity, and your talent! No sign-up necessary, just hop on the mic when you’re ready! Filmmakers Jason R.A. Foster and Michael “Quess?” Moore will be here in Fort Scott to showcase their film and visit with the audience and also M.C. the open mic event. Both the open mic event and film screening is free to attend and participate.
“We are thrilled and fortunate to be able to have both of these very talented filmmakers and artists, Jason and Quess? here in Fort Scott to showcase their award winning film and to help host the open mic event for current and inspiring artist and enthusiasts. ” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Director.

Jason R.A. is an actor, filmmaker and photographer born in Kingston, Jamaica, and has lived the majority of his life in the American South. He has had roles in films Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Get Hard, and 22 Jump Street. He is the co-founder of FosterBear Films. His short documentaries and films include: Seeing Sounds, Requiem for a Season, Alfred Marshall, A Conversation with John O’Neal , Greater than the Sum (Rethink), Rethink: Restorative Justice. Residual, Neegro’s: And What Happened After That?, and Explanation. Jason’s music videos’ include: Tank and the Bangas: Quick, Sunni Patterson; Black Back, Come Home, Modern Romance, and Brighton Beach: Marce’ Reazon Ft. Ro Ransom.
Jason has taught film classes to the New Orleans community through the New Orleans Video Access Center
and Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools. His nomadic lifestyle has contributed to his ability to tell stories
and connect with people from all walks of life.

A Scribe Called Quess? Aka Michael “Quess?” Moore is a poet, educator, actor, playwright, activist, and
organizer in that order. He is a two-time national poetry slam champion and founding member of Team SNO
(Slam New Orleans), New Orleans’ three-time national poetry slam championship team. His poetry has been
published or featured by Pluck!, Nike, Congo TV, Balcony TV, Button Poetry, Write About Now Poetry, Spotify,
Mic, Redbull, and other platforms, and has earned him honors from the mayor and city council of New
Orleans. His words led him to the classroom where he served for 11 years as an educator. His work as an
educator has been highlighted on NPR in the Voices of Educators series as well as taken him to Oxford
University to speak on school reform.
For more information about the events contact the Gordon Parks Museum by phone (620) – 223-2700, ext.
5850 or by email [email protected].

The Gordon Parks Museum staff has been calling attention to and celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. for a decade, according to Kirk Sharp, the executive director of the museum for three years.

“King was an activist, a (black)Baptist minister during the civil rights protests, who fought for change to eliminate racial inequality, all through non-violence,” Sharp said.

The community is invited and encouraged to learn more about his life, which is celebrated nationally around January 15, his birthdate.

Several days are planned to celebrate King’s life in Fort Scott.

This celebration will be done through a series of diverse events: dramatic readings, ballet, films, Lunch and Learns, and the sharing of food.

Events start on Thursday, January 13 at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

The day begins with the museum staff hosting the Fort Scott Area Chamber Coffee at 8:00 am.

At 7 p.m. that evening, a Kansas City ballet group will do a  tribute performance in honor of Martin Luther King and Gordon Parks

The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey: Ever Present will give a free performance that is funded by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

A reception will follow the performance with light refreshments hosted by Great Western Dining, the FSCC food service provider.

Friday, January 14, a Lunch and Learn in the Ellis Arts Center at noon will feature the Fort Scott High School Advanced Drama students reading the “I Have A Dream” speech given by King. The students are under the direction of teacher Angela Bin.

FSCC students and members of the community will also do some readings related to Martin Luther King, Sharp said.

A reception will follow with birthday cake in honor of King’s birthday.

Lunch and dessert will be provided by Great Western Dining.

The day will also include three film showings at 9:00 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm, all related to the American Civil Rights Movement.

The celebration will wrap up on Monday, Jan 17th, with a Lunch and Learn event at noon by Prisca Barnes, speaking on the “The Dockum Drugstore Sit-In”, an event that happened in Wichita.

A free lunch will be provided by Luther’s BBQ. Drinks and desserts will be provided by Great Western Dining.

The community is invited and encouraged to bring canned food or cleaning products from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the museum which is in recognition of King’s day of service events that will happen nationally. These canned goods/cleaning products will be presented to The Beacon, a local helping agency. Please, no out-of-date goods.

The Fort Scott Community College Endowment Foundation is a key contributor to the celebration events.

All events will take place at both the Gordon Parks Museum and Ellis Fine Arts Center.

Civil Rights films will also be shown throughout the day on Friday and Monday.

On Friday, Jan. 14, the community can view the beginning of the series of films Eyes on the Prize: American Civil Rights which starts at 9 a.m. with Awakening,  about the murder of Emmett Till and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

At 1:30 p.m. view Fighting Back, a story of the Little Rock Nine and James Meredith.

At 3:30 p.m. view Ain’t Scared of Your Jails, a story of the Nashville sit-ins/boycotts and the Freedom Riders.

On Jan. 17,  at 9 a.m. view No Easy Walk, stories from Georgia and Alabama, and the Walk to Washington.

At 10:30 a.m., Mississippi: Is This America? stories of Medgar Evers and the “Mississippi Burning” murders.

And at 1:30 p.m. A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr by Gordon Parks.

The mission of the Gordon Parks Museum is to honor the life and work of Gordon Parks, internationally-known photographer, filmmaker, writer, and musician; and to use his remarkable life story to teach about artistic creativity, cultural awareness, and the role of diversity in our lives.

For more information call the Gordon Parks Museum at

620-223-2700 ext. 5850.