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.
Presentation Explores the History of Baseball in Kansas
Fort Scott, KS – Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, Kansas will host “The Kansas City Monarchs and America’s National Pastime,” a presentation and discussion by Phil Dixon on February 23, 2023 at 12:00pm at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at 2108 S. Horton St. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620- 223-2700 ext. 5850 for more information. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.
This is a free Lunch and Learn event, with desserts provided by Great West Dining. “Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this presentation event to learn more about the Kansas City Monarchs” said Museum Director, Kirk Sharp.
2020 marked two major milestones for baseball: the Negro Leagues celebrated their 100th anniversary and Major League Baseball merged statistics of these African American players with those of the major league. The history of Negro League baseball in America mirrors the racial strife experienced by African Americans in society. It was plagued by discrimination, racism, and inequity, while its athletes were celebrated for their resiliency, professionalism, and athleticism. The Kansas City Monarchs barnstormed across Kansas and the region to play more than 400 games between 1920 and 1957 against local towns. This talk sheds new light on this sports history and the history of baseball in Kansas.
Phil S. Dixon a co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. He is the author of nine books about baseball, including biographies about Wilber “Bullet” Rogan and John “Buck” O’Neil. In the course of his research, he has interviewed over 500 former Negro League players and family members.
“The Kansas City Monarchs and America’s National Pastime” is part of Humanities Kansas’s Speakers Bureau, featuring humanities-based presentations designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.
For more information about “The Kansas City Monarchs and America’s National Pastime” in Fort Scott, Kansas, contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700 ext. 5850 or visit gordonparkscenter.org.
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit leading 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.
Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be held, withseveral events planned in Fort Scott.
The events will start on Thursday, January 12that the Gordon Parks Museum.
The day willbeginwith a hosting of the Fort Scott Area Chamber Coffee at 8:00a.m.and a filmshowing at 10:00a.m., “Martin”, atribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Gordon Parks.
This is a ballet tribute to Dr. King, written and directed by Gordon Parks.
On Friday, January 13th, the community is invited to the Ellis Fine Arts Center for a free Lunch and Learn event that willbe held at 12:00p.m.featuring a music and speaking presentation by multicultural artist, community organizer, researcher, and educator,Alex Kimball Williams. A reception will follow with birthday cake. Lunch and dessert will be provided by Great WesternDining.
The day will also include three film showings at 9:00am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm.
The celebration will wrap up on Monday, January16th, with a(Lunchand Learn)event and Canned Food Drive.Canned and non–perishable (non–expired) food items for the Beacon Food Pantry in Fort Scott, Kansas, will be collected at the museumfrom 9:00am–till 2:00p.m.
The Lunch and Learn speaker presentation event “Good Trouble” by John Edgar Tidwell will be held at 12:00pm. Lunch will be provided by Dunk’s BBQ.Drinks and desserts will be provided by Great Western Dinning.
Films will also be shown throughout the day on Monday at 9:00a.m., 10:30a.m., and 1:30p.m. All events will take place at both the Gordon Parks Museum and Ellis Fine Arts center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
A full list offilm showings and events can be found athttps://www.gordonparkscenter.org/events.For more information call the Gordon Parks Museum at 620–223–2700 ext. 5850. For more information call (620) 223–2700, ext. 5850, or email[email protected].
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.
John Dauben, left, and Kirk Sharp with the donated book case. Submitted photo.
Abookcase from the historic Plaza–Hawkins School was donated recently to the Gordon Parks Museum by Fort Scott resident John Dobbins, a longtime tutor at Fort Scott Community College. Gordon Parks attended Plaza–Hawkins, the segregated school for grades kindergarten througheighthlocated at what was formerly 111 Hendricks St., situated on the east side of what is now the Fort Scott National Historic Site. “This bookcase was part of the Plaza school in the 1920s when Gordon attended there,” Dobbins said in making the donation to museum director Kirk Sharp. “My parents bought in in the 1950s when the school closed and the furnishings were sold.” In 1946, the school was renamed from the “Hawkins School” as a tribute to and in memory of professor E.J. Hawkins,a longtime educator, administrator and coach at the institution. The school, a large, two–story building with a full basement, was razed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of the urban–renewal project under way at the time. A wayside memorial of theschool is located in the Fort Scott National Historic Site recreational–vehicle parking lot behind the Chamber of Commerce building. The bookcase, along with other artifacts from the Plaza–Hawkins School, is on display at the Gordon Parks Museum on the camps of FSCC. For more information or to schedule museum visits and tours, call (620) 223–2700, ext. 5850, or email [email protected].
Marcia McCoy, photographer and longtime friend of Gordon Parks, hasdonated an iconic portrait of the celebrated Fort Scott native taken by his son, David, to the museum that bears his name.
Gordon Parks photo Trail Blazer. Submitted.
Now on display in the museum, located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, is the photo of Parks shown in 1973. The photo,titled “Trailblazer,” captures the image of Parks riding horseback and smoking a pipe while directing a film on location in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
“Gordon Parks was a trailblazer from Fort Scott, a true ‘Renaissance’ man, and my father,” said David Parks.
McCoy, who also worked with Gordon Parks as curator of his signature collection, “Images from the Soul,” teamed with Parks and Robert Erlichman of Art Guild Press to create an edition suite of “Trailblazer.”
“(Gordon) loved this image his son capturedof him, out in the Flint Hills of Kansas–his homeland,” McCoy said. “Mr.Parks is a national treasure and has inspired creators globally to have the courage to create and express their voices and visions. We are delighted to share this powerful and inspiring portrait with you and the world.”
For more information or to schedule museum visits and tours call (620) 223–2700, ext. 5850, or email [email protected]. ###
The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College returns to full public accessibility this week upon the completion of repairs to its air-conditioning unit; executive director Kirk Sharp has announced.
The museum, devoted to Fort Scott native Parks, an esteemed photographer, writer, composer and filmmaker, remains open until Dec. 15 when the campus closes for Christmas break. The museum, now with all collections back on display, reopens Jan. 5.
Sharp cited “supply-chain issues” as the cause for the delayed repairs.
“We want to thank everyone for their support and patience,” he said. “We had a difficult time dealing with supply-chain issues that delayed the arrival of the part (air compressor) we needed.”
To schedule a visit or tour call (620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or email [email protected]
Fort Scott native Gordon Parks was among a dozen photographers inducted by the Kansas Press Association into the Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame during a ceremony recently in Topeka.
As a member of the inaugural class, Parks joins Rich Clarkson, CarlDavaz, Jeff Jacobsen, Chris Johns, Brian Lanker, Sandra Milburn, Jim Richardson, Charlie Riedel, Gary Settle, Pete Souza and Bill Snead in the newly minted hall of fame.
Kirk Sharp, executive director of the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, was asked byParks’ son, David, to represent the family in accepting the award, which the family entrusted to the museum. “It was an honor and a privilege to not only represent the family and to accept the award, but to also have the award on display in our museum forvisitors to see,” Sharp said.
Ella Parks and Charles Cooksey, great–niece and nephew of Gordon Parks, were also in attendance at the ceremonial banquet Nov. 19 at the Beacon Building. ###
GORDON PARKS MUSEUM RECEIVES FORT SCOTT AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT FOR INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY EXPANSION
Fort Scott, Kan. Nov. 17, 2022 – A grant through the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation has enabled the Gordon Parks Museum to further expand interactive technology in the museum. This includes two tablet kiosks with stands and software. The tablets can be used by visitors of any age.
“We are extremely thankful to receive this grant award from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation. The interactive technology expansion gives us the ability to not only continue to modernize the museum, but to expand digitally,” said Kirk Sharp, executive director of the Gordon Parks Museum.
Funds from the Dr. Pratt and Pauline Irby Endowment Fund Award – courtesy of the adult children of the benefactors (Janet Braun, Bob Irby and Mary Rio) – were also used to help in the purchase of the tablet kiosks with stands and software.
The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation hosts individual charitable funds created by donors who have a passion for giving back to their community. Grants from these funds assist people throughout Fort Scott and Bourbon County. Call the Foundation at (620) 224-6500 with questions about the Community Foundation or go to https://fsacf.com/.
