Category Archives: History

Government, History, Kansas

Sacred Rock Returned to the Kaw Nation

Leave a comment

Governor Kelly Celebrates the Return of the Sacred Red Rock to the Kaw Nation


LAWRENCE—Today, Governor Laura Kelly joined Kaw Nation leaders, City of Lawrence officials, and Haskell Indian Nations University and University of Kansas representatives to commemorate the return of the Iⁿ‘zhúje‘waxóbe, or Sacred Red Rock, to the people of the Kaw Nation.

“The Sacred Red Rock has long been part of Kansas’ history, and I am honored to participate in its return to its rightful stewards,” Governor Kelly said. “This event marks a significant step forward in ensuring we respect and honor Indigenous peoples, cultures, and traditions.”

Several hundred thousand years ago, a glacier took the rock from an area in what is now southwestern Minnesota to the Kansas River Valley, where it became an important part the Kaw Nation’s spiritual life.

“I am delighted to see our city’s leaders collectively honor the sovereign rights of Tribal Nations by partnering in the return of the Iⁿ‘zhúje‘waxóbe Sacred Red Rock,” said Jancita Warrington, Executive Director, Kansas Native American Affairs, Office of the Governor. “Chancellor Girod, Mayor Larsen and the Lawrence City Commissioners have shown both compassion and respect for the Kaw Nation by honoring their request to return this grandfather rock to its cultural and spiritual stewards. This is a great example of a productive partnership between leaders, and I am excited to see what will transpire from this continued relationship moving forward.”

In 1929, the Sacred Red Rock was transported to Lawrence. It currently resides in Buford M. Watson Jr. Park. Iⁿ‘zhúje‘waxóbe will now be returned to Kaw Nation land at Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park near Council Grove.

“As an Indigenous person, I am extremely honored and humbled to be a part of this project and this historic event,” said Sydney Purcell, Co-Principal Investigator, Sacred Red Rock Project and Curator for Public Practice at Spencer Museum of Art. “I am in awe that Governor Kelly, Mayor Larson, and the Lawrence City Commission are present to support this effort. It is my hope that the relationships established throughout this project and further concretized with the ceremonious Return of the Rock event will continue long into the future, so that Kaw Nation’s presence is strengthened in the state that bears its name.”

Art, Fort Scott, Gordon Parks Museum, History

Gordon Parks Museum Receives Arts and Culture Grant by the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas

Leave a comment

Fort Scott, Kan. Aug.24, 2023 – An Arts and Culture grant through the Community Foundation of
Southeast Kansas helped support the 20th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration. The annual celebration
will be held October 5 -7, 2023 in Fort Scott, Kansas.
“We are very thankful to be part of this grant. This is our 20th year of the Annual Gordon Parks
Celebration and we are excited to celebrate the upcoming three days full of wonderful events
with everyone. The celebration is a great way to honor Gordon Parks legacy.” said Kirk Sharp,
Executive Director of the Gordon Parks Museum. “
The celebration is in honor Fort Scott native Gordon Parks, noted photographer, writer, musician, and
filmmaker. The celebration will feature several events to include presentations, special events, tours,
music performance, barbeque and a celebration tribute dinner for the presentation of The Choice of
Weapons Award established in Parks’ honor to be given annually at the celebration. The schedule of
events is available at the Gordon Parks Museum or online at gordonparkscenter.org and on our
facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fsccGPmuseum/. This event is for everyone and open to
the public.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas hosts individual charitable funds created by donors
who have a passion for giving back to their community. Grants from these funds assist people
throughout Southeast Kansas and beyond. Call the Foundation at 620-231-8897 with questions about
the Community Foundation. www.southeastkansas.org.
###

Contact Name: Kirk Sharp FOR IMMEDIATE
Phone: 620-223-2700, ext. 5850 RELEASE
Email: [email protected]
Website: gordonparkscenter.org

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Community College, Gordon Parks Museum, History, Uncategorized

Presentation Explores the Impact of Kansas’s Native Son Gordon Parks

Leave a comment
Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.

Fort Scott, Kansas – The Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, Kansas will host “Learning from
Gordon Parks,” a presentation and discussion by Ann Dean on Thursday, October 5 at
12:00p.m. 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 presentation and discussion are part of the 20th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration that will take place in Fort Scott, Kansas on October 5 -7, 2023. This is also a Lunch and Learn Event.

The presentation by Ann Dean is free to attend, but the lunches are only available by pre-purchase for $10 each by Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

African American author, photographer, and filmmaker Gordon Parks was well known for his documentation of American life and culture.

Born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1912, he is one of the
most esteemed image makers of all time. In this presentation, photographer Ann Dean discusses the impact and inspiration found in Parks’s books: The Learning Tree, A Choice of
Weapons, and Half Past Autumn.

These books help illustrate Parks’s mother’s teachings centered in love, dignity, and hard work, and provide a starting point to talk about his struggles, choices, and triumphs – all great life lessons for those searching to find their way in this complicated world.

Ann Dean is an artist and freelance photographer who teaches photography classes at the Lawrence Art Center.

“Learning from Gordon Parks” is part of Humanities Kansas’s Speakers Bureau and “21st Century Civics,” a collection of resources that invite Kansans to participate in community
discussions and learn more about the history of American democracy and the shared responsibilities of citizenship. “21st Century Civics” is made possible with support from “A More
Perfect Union: America at 250,” an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information about “Learning from Gordon Parks” 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.
###

Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott Community College, History

Tradition, Adaptation, Tragedy, Triumph, Survival: Experience the Wahzhazhe Story In Fort Scott This Weekend

Leave a comment
One can order tickets online for the Osage ballet being  performing at the Ellis Arts Center, Fort Scott Community College this weekend or at the door. The first performance is tonight at 7:30 p.m.

 

This scene in the ballet depicts the encounters with Europeans by the Osage, a tribe of Native Americans.

Wahzhazhe is the Native American name for the  tribal people we know as the Osage.

A dance academy in Pawhuska, OK has created a ballet telling the 400 year-old story of the Wahzhazhe.

The performers are mostly from the Dance Maker Academy in Pawhuska, in Osage County, which is home to the Osage tribe.

There are about 24,000 Osage people throughout the world, Randy Tinker-Smith, the ballet producer said.

Tinker-Smith said the 20 children dancers in this ballet are from different tribes, not all Osage.

The ballet is “an artistic expression of who we are,”Tinker- Smith, who is Osage, said. “We are not history, we are still here.”

They performed the Osage story at the Smithsonian Institution in 2012, she said.

The scene that resonated with viewers there, was the last one, where the performers demonstrate walking in two worlds, the Osage world and the other white people world, she said.

The ballet is the story of tradition, adaptation, tragedy, triumph, survival, and the enduring spirit of the Osage people, told by the Osage Nation, according to a press release from the FSNHS.

“This is not our story to tell, but it is our responsibility to provide a platform for these stories to be told,” said Carl Brenner, FSNHS Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management.

“This area was their native homeland,” Brenner said. “This (ballet) is part of a Native American series (at the Fort). We will continue to talk about this.”

“We jump started our relationship with the Osages,” Jill Jaworski, FSNHS Superintendent said. “There are a lot of doors being opened for having conversations with the Osage. We are looking to update our exhibits and are asking ‘What would you like shared?'”

Ballet: an Osage Tradition

The first  five prima ballerinas in the United State were Native Americans, two of them Osage, Tinker-Smith said.

Lavender Sarroll, a mom accompanying the ballet troupe,  said her daughter, Lilliana Guillen, 17, has been dancing since she was six years old at the Dance Maker Academy.

The ballet still is emotional for her, Sarroll said.

“To this day, when they get to the place in the ballet, where they rise from defeat, I cry every time,” she said.

Sarroll said the Wahzhazhe have their own government and language.

Doors are opened to a college education for some through the ballet.

Several of the ballet performers are offered dance scholarships to colleges, including her daughter, Sarroll said.

Logistics

Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, Inc. offered special access for the media to the Wahshazhe ballet producer, Randy Tinker-Smith, and for viewing  rehearsals on Wednesday, July 19.

The rehearsal was a prelude to the three performances, today, Friday, through Saturday at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the Fort Scott Community College campus, 2108 Horton St.

There are 50 people involved in the production of the ballet, but some parents accompany the group, with a total of 70 people. Most arrived on Wednesday and are staying in the FSCC Residential Halls.

Thursday was the dress rehearsal, then the performances are today,  Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 3 p.m.

Youth tickets are just $15, adults are $35. Go to Friends of the Fort Facebook page or at OsageBallet.com.

Or one can take a chance, wait, and hope it’s not sold-out and purchase tickets at the door.

There is a question and answer session following the ballet.

Learning More

The performance is for those who are interested in Kansas and American history, Native American culture, the arts and dance, and those wanting to experience something spectacular and different from anything they have seen before, according to the press release.

Killers of the Flower Moon-The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, a story on a tragic part of the Osage tribe is a book that has been made into a movie and will be open in theaters this years, Tinker-Smith said.

“Mollie Burkhart is in the book,” she said. “Her grand-daughter is in the ballet. This movie, we can let people know, we are still here.”

For a synopsis of the book:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/28/books/review/killers-of-the-flower-moon-david-grann.html

 

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, History

OFGS BROWN BAG TECH TALK

Leave a comment

MARSHA’S DELI SANDWICHES AND COLD DRINKS PROVIDED, OR BRING YOUR OWN!

Everyone is invited to the Old Fort Genealogy Society office to discuss recent upgrades to our computers and learn about volunteer tech support now available for our researchers, visitors and volunteers.

DATE: [Thursday, July 27th, 2023] TIME: [12:00 PM-12:30 PM]

LOCATION: Old Fort Genealogical Society Office, 221 S. National Avenue, Fort Scott, KS.  In the basement of Memorial Hall.

[WEST ENTRANCE OF MEMORIAL HALL, LOOK FOR BLACK AND WHITE SIGN ON DOOR FACING NATIONAL AVENUE]

[PLEASE NOTE: WEST ENTRANCE IS NOT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE]

Questions, concerns? E-mail Sarah Klassen, OFGS Tech Admin, at [email protected]

Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott, History

Presenting Osage History and Culture Through Ballet Requires Care

2 Comments

PAWHUSKA, Okla.—When researching Osage history for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet, co-creator Randy Tinker-Smith, founder of Osage Ballet, spoke with around 50 elders. Tinker-Smith is Osage, and she knows that some things are not meant to be shared onstage.

“While doing research for the ballet, I spoke with around 50 Osage elders,” she said. “I did not want to do one thing without permission. I met with some of them numerous times, and by the end of that year we had lost three of them. Now looking back, I am just so thankful that I had that time with them.”

 

With Martin Scorsese’s film Killers of the Flower Moon being recently filmed in the present-day Osage Nation, Osage history is on the minds of many people. Visitors to Fort Scott, KS have three opportunities to experience 400 years of the rich history of the Osage through artistic dance when Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet is presented at Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, July 21 and 22.

Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton.

The production is the work of Osage Ballet, a nonprofit organization which seeks to preserve and share the history of the Osage people through dance.

 

The first half of the ballet depicts life in the Osages’ ancestral homelands, which encompassed much of the middle of the United States, including the entirety of what is now Missouri. One of the earliest diaries chronicling the Osage people describe them as the “happiest people in the world.” Family and ceremony were at the center of culture and moving with the seasons was a way of life. With the arrival of Europeans, many of the ceremonies and the complex Osage clan system were almost decimated by war and disease. Like many Indigenous people, the mighty Osage were forced west onto smaller and smaller pieces of land. Eventually, the Osage bought their own reservation in Indian Territory and settled there in what is now Osage County, Oklahoma.

 

Tinker-Smith said her own family’s history was on her mind as she researched.

 

“When our tribe left Kansas in 1871, there had been so much death because of smallpox and starvation and other diseases,” she said. “The buffalo had been slaughtered. Fences had been put up. Everything had changed drastically. Because of that, the elders put away our ceremonies because they did not have the animals, plants, and implements they needed to do them properly. We are a highly organized people: You have a purpose, you learn how to do it, and you pass it on, but that could not be done anymore. My great-grandfather was born at St. Paul Mission in Kansas. I read a diary that said 600 Osage people died in one week while he was living there. This history touches our family so deeply.”

 

The first act of the ballet chronicles what was lost, while the second act portrays how the Osage survived and continue to thrive despite so much trauma.

 

“When I started meeting with these elders, I wanted to have permission about what I could tell in the story,” she said. “As long as I am alive, for example, you will never see our sacred ceremonial ways on our stage, but what you will see are the things we still have: Fire, feathers, water. Songs. There is a lot that we can share, and it is exceptionally beautiful.”

 

The Osage Ballet, Wahzhazhe was created by a predominately Indigenous team with choreography by Jenna LaViolette (Osage) and original music by Osage composer Lou Brock. Dr. Joseph Rivers, chair of the film department at the University of Tulsa, composed original music and arranged the score. Osage artists Wendy Ponca, Alexander Ponca Stock, and the late Terry Wann, designed the costumes and backdrops. Shawnee Peoria artist Roman Jasinski, Jr. served as artistic adviser. (Jasinski is the son of Moscelyne Larkin, one of five Indigenous ballerinas from Oklahoma to gain international fame in the 20th century.) Professional dancers for the production are from ballet companies around the US. Joining the professional dancers are students of Dance Maker Academy in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, representing 19 Native nations.

 

For tickets and information on the July 21 and 22 performances in Fort Scott, KS visit their website, www.osageballet.com/events  and watch for posts

Art, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, History

New Historic Fort Scott Mural Artist: Cbabi Bayoc

Leave a comment
Cbabi Bayoc. Submitted photo.
Cbabi Bayoc, St. Louis, MO,  was selected to paint the latest  downtown Fort Scott mural.
He was selected through a process, established by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division, to seek the best artist for the mural to highlight the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry historic significance in the Civil War.
The mural will be facing the Fort Scott National Historic Site, which is where this infantry unit was organized for  the Civil War.
This mural will be replaced with a new one depicting African-American troops who served in the American Civil War. The mural wall faces Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Bayoc, 50,  has been creating murals since 2017.
“I have about 25-30 murals in schools and businesses around the St. Louis region and several in outside locations, like the United Church of Christ corporate office in Ohio, the 1619 Freedom School in Iowa and the Family Reunification center in North Carolina,” he said in an interview with fortscott.biz.
“I have never done a military-inspired mural but have always been interested in the Civil War and Reconstruction,” he said.” I am also an Air Force brat, so this is special to me.”
“The only must-haves for (this) mural were three soldiers and their batallion flag,” Bayoc said. “So I designed a mural with a soldier in arms with the American flag, a soldier aiming his rifle across the design and the batallion flag as a backdrop.”
Bayoc will be in Fort Scott the second week of August for approximately a week for working on the mural, he said. At the beginning of the project he will have one or two people helping him.
About the 1st Colored Infantry
“Kansas was the first Northern state to recruit, train, and send Black soldiers into combat during the Civil War,” according to https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/historyculture/firsttoserve.htm. “Fort Scott served as the home base for both the 1st and 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry, with both regiments being mustered into federal service on Fort Scott’s former parade ground. The Emancipation Proclamation officially authorized the recruitment of African American soldiers for federal service (although the 1st Kansas Colored had earlier been recruited as a state unit in August 1862). This meant it was now legal for free Blacks and former slaves to fight back against the institution of slavery and seek to abolish it through armed resistance. As virtually every Southern slave code prohibited Blacks from carrying guns, the proclamation had a profound psychological impact across the region.”
Captain William Mathews –a free Black, a businessman and station master on the Underground Railroad –recruited former slaves into the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Fort Scott. He lost his rank when the unit was federalized but later served as an artillery officer.
Taken from the  Fort Scott National Historic Site, courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society

To keep up to date on the mural creation:

https://www.facebook.com/muralsoffortscott

The mural will be dedicated during the Gordon Parks Celebration on the first Friday in October,  said Rachel French, a member of the Chamber Downtown Committee and project coordinator for the mural.

The $5,250 Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity grant awarded for the mural is a matching grant.

“We are fundraising for the match,” French said. “We need to do signage and there will be recognition of donors.”

To donate:

https://muralsoffortscott.wixsite.com/home

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott National Historic Site, Government, History

Join Fort Scott NHS for the Sights and Sounds of American Independence

Leave a comment
NPS photo.

 

 

Fort Scott Kan. – Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.

 

On Saturday and Sunday, July 1st and 2nd,  we will fire artillery, host interpretive programs/discussions addressing the differences between officers and enlisted men, lead Fort tours, and play historic games. Join Ranger Jessica for a nature walk on Saturday and Tuesday. The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, Inc. will be serving free ice cream at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

 

On Tuesday July 4th,  black powder programs will continue with artillery demonstrations and a special program/discussion on the meanings of the Declaration of Independence.

 

SATURDAY, JULY 1

9 a.m. – Tallgrass Prairie Walk

10 a.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

11 a.m. – Artillery Demonstration

11:30  a.m. – Homemade Ice Cream (Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc.)

Noon – Historic Games

1 p.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

2 p.m. – Artillery Demonstration

3 p.m. – Rank has Privileges: Interpretive Discussion

 

SUNDAY, JULY 2

10 a.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

11 a.m. – Artillery Demonstration

Noon – Historic Games

1 p.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

2 p.m. – Artillery Demonstration

3 p.m. – Rank has Privileges: Interpretive Discussion

 

TUESDAY, JULY 4

10 a.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

11 a.m. – Artillery Demonstration

Noon – Tallgrass Prairie Walk

1 p.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

2 p.m. – Artillery Demonstration

3 p.m. – We Hold These Truths: Meanings of the Declaration of Independence Discussion

4 p.m. – Flag Retreat

 

Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

-NPS-

 

 

Art, Gordon Parks Museum, History

Gordon Parks Museum Newsletter

Leave a comment

Gordon Parks Museum Newsletter Update

June 22, 2023

Artist, Cbabi Bayoc is selected for the

1st Kansas Colored Infantry Mural Project
The selected artist for the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry mural has just been announced. Congratulations to Cbabi Bayoc! We can’t wait to see this new mural in our historic downtown of Fort Scott, KS.

The Fort Scott Downtown Chamber Division will facilitate the creation of a mural in honor and remembrance of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment that was established here and trained in Fort Scott, KS. This was the first African-American regiment to fight against the Confederacy in the Civil War.

To learn more about the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry and their amazing story, go to the mural project facebook page at Murals of Fort Scott

Gordon Parks Museum receives the African American Methodist Episcopal (AME)

Church Property
(left to right) Josh Jones, Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum and Sarah Smith, Fort Scott Community College Foundation
The ground on which the historic African-American Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church once stood is now the property of the Gordon Parks Museum, thanks to Fort Scott resident Josh Jones and the Fort Scott Community College Foundation.

 

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. The church was also used in a scene from Parks’ acclaimed film, “The Learning Tree.”

“We are very excited about this donation and can’t thank Josh and the Foundation enough,” said museum executive director Kirk 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 with signs, photos, benches and short walls as a tribute to the AME church.

“The museum will look for possible grants and donations to help fund this project,” he noted. “There is currently on 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. 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.
(left to right) Josh Jones, Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum and Sarah Smith, Fort Scott Community College Foundation.
AME Church

Gordon Parks, 1950.

Photo Courtesy of and Copyright by The Gordon Parks Foundation

To Register Online Click Here Registration

The schedule of events for the 20th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration for

October 5 -7, 2023 are now available. For more information, go to our website at www.gordonparkscenter.org. Reservation and ticket purchases are available online our event page https://www.gordonparkscenter.org/events.

Reservations and payments can also be mailed to:

The Gordon Parks Museum

2108 S. Horton St, Fort Scott, KS 66701

Please contact us if you have any questions. 620-223-2700 ext. 5850 or

email: [email protected]

WE ARE LOOKNG FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AT THIS YEARS’ CELEBRATION, AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 20TH YEAR!

“Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” 2023 Recipients
Tommy Dodson, Mario E. Sprouse and Deborah Willis will be the recipients of the “Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” at the annual celebration

October 5th -7th, 2023 in Fort Scott, Kansas. The celebration is in honor of Fort Scott native Gordon Parks, noted photographer, writer, musician, and filmmaker. The Choice of Weapons Award was established in Parks’ honor to be given annually at the celebration.

Tommy Dodson

 

Fort Scott native musician, photographer and author. See his full bio in the link below.

Tommy Dodson Bio

Mario E. Sprouse

Well-known musician, arranger, composer, and musical director See his full bio in the link below.

Mario E. Sprouse Bio

Deborah Willis

Artist, author and curator. See her full bio in the link below.

Deborah Willis Bio

To purchase your tickets online go to:

Celebration Dance Party Ticket Purchase

2023 Gordon Parks Photo and Poetry Contests

2023 Gordon Parks Museum

Photo Contest

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.

Read more…

Gordon Parks Museum

Poetry Contest

THEME: “Family, Home and Roots”

This poetry contest is inspired by Gordon Parks and his love for his family and upbringing.

This is open to any emerging poets of all ages and skill levels who have not yet been published in a book are invited to write a poem for this contest.

Read more…
Find us on the website link below
Gordon Parks Museum Website
Keep in Touch..
Facebook
Gordon Parks Museum | 2108 S. Horton St., Fort Scott, KS 66701
History, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

Lowell Milken Fellows: Week Two

Leave a comment

The Lowell Milken Fellowship is a merit-based award for educators of all disciplines who value the importance of teaching respect and understanding through project-based learning, according to a press release from the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. The Center selects exemplary teachers from the United States and around the world who will collaborate on projects that discover, develop, and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes in history.

While in Fort Scott, LMC Fellows gain knowledge, educational resources and support in helping students cultivate a passion for learning through the creation of projects that initiate positive change. Fellows will be equipped to develop Unsung Heroes projects with their students, applying and evaluating the stories of these role models who have changed the world throughout history

Week Two of the fellows welcomes the following educators,  who will be here from June 25 – 30.

Victoria Lightfoot, most recently a 3rd grade teacher and currently an instructional coach in Raleigh, NC, received the honor of being a 2021 North Carolina Milken Educator. Devoted to education, Victoria’s powerful teaching skills made a significant and measurable difference in her students’ learning, and also empowered other teachers. Her outstanding work with students on projects has encouraged her colleagues to follow her lead.

After eleven years in the classroom, Victoria’s transition to instructional coach has enabled her to share the successes she had with her students to help increase achievement throughout the school. The creative and engaging activities that motivated her students to high levels of learning are now shared with other educators while Victoria models, co-teaches, and collaborates with them. She observes lessons, and provides feedback focused on success for all.

LMC Executive Director Norm Conard says, “Victoria’s excellent skills in the classroom, along with her innovative and creative ideas, motivated her students to high levels of learning. With her experience as an instructional coach, Victoria will bring much collaborative expertise to the LMC Fellowship. We know she will be a great resource for all of us.”

 

Michelle Wolfe, an English teacher at East Hardy High School in Baker, WV, is the 2021 West Virginia Milken Award recipient. She is also a nationally board-certified educator, an outstanding accomplishment in her career.

Michelle has shared her personal love of writing, literature and poetry with her students. Helping them to understand the importance of what they have to say and the relevance of their experiences makes it possible for them to relate to the world outside of the classroom. Michelle’s students not only excel in writing, but learn to visualize the opportunities possible for their future.

“Michelle’s enthusiasm for providing meaningful learning experiences for her students is a great model for other educators,” Conard said. “We know that she will have much to share with this year’s team of Fellows.”

 

Lesley Snyder received the 2021 South Carolina Milken Educator while she was teaching English at Dutch Fork Middle School in Irmo, SC. This past school year she was on sabbatical, working as a Teacher Leader in Residence for special grant projects and research with the University of South Carolina.

As a middle school teacher, Lesley created innovative, purposeful learning experiences that motivated and engaged her students. Incorporating Project Based Learning was important to her success in providing real-world connections and “passion projects” for her students. Her zeal for diverse instruction motivated all learners to reach their potential and contributed to high levels of achievement at Dutch Fork Middle School. With her love of education, Lesley also takes advantage of opportunities to share her skills with fellow educators.

“We anticipate that our Fellows group will learn much from Lesley’s wide range of experience with Project Based Learning,” Conard said. “We know she can provide many new insights to its use in developing projects that uncover the stories of unsung heroes. What a great asset to our team!”

 

Kateryna Molodyk was a Global Teacher Award finalist in 2021, with the outstanding distinction of being the youngest teacher ever chosen for this prestigious award.  She currently serves as Assistant Director of Ukrainian Languages and Literature for students in Cherkasy, Ukraine.

Her creativity and ingenuity in planning educational activities for her 5th-12th grade students is of prime importance to her, as she believes her students need education now, more than ever. While continuing to teach under much duress at this time of war in her country can be challenging, Kateryna perseveres with compassion and understanding for her students.

“Kateryna is an outstanding young woman and truly dedicated educator,” Conard said. “To be named as a Global Award Finalist at such a young age and to tirelessly work for her students under such difficult circumstances make her an incredible role model and advocate for her students. We are incredibly blessed to have Kateryna on our LMC team of Fellows and look forward to all that we can learn from her.”

 

Jennifer Farr, a 5th Grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Junction City, KS, is a 2017 Kansas Teacher of the Year Finalist. As an ambassador on the team of TOY finalists, Jennifer has been able to learn from and share with other outstanding teachers. She is passionate about celebrating educators and serves on the Kansas LEADS and regional KTOY executive teams, which both allow her the opportunity to elevate the profession.

Jennifer’s passion for education is clearly visible in her elementary classroom. Her many years of experience in 4th and 5th grade classrooms have only strengthened her compassion for her students. Knowing that the relationships she builds with the children in her classes can help to change their lives emotionally and socially, as well as academically, is an extremely gratifying and humbling experience for her.

“Jennifer has been highly recommended by past Fellows,” Conard said. “Through her past visits to the LMC and her work on numerous projects, we know she will be a valuable asset to our 2023 team. We look forward to furthering our relationship with Jennifer.”

 

Ali Jun, a music specialist at Tyrone Thompson Elementary School in Las Vegas, NV, was a 2021 Nevada Milken Educator.  Ali’s award recognized her excellence in arts education and her enthusiasm for learning, which is shared, not only with her students, but with her colleagues and the community. Ali also serves on the “Portrait of a Nevada Learner” Committee, as well as the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Cabinet.

Ali’s positivity and uplifting spirit provide a safe and caring learning environment for her students. It is within that environment that students gain self-confidence and learn to use their creative abilities, whether it be trying new instruments for the first time or singing beyond what they thought possible. The critical thinking skills they develop, as well as emotional expression, benefit their learning in every area of the curriculum.

“Ali’s passion for helping her students succeed is contagious,” Conard said. “We are excited to learn more about her innovative and original approaches to student projects, adding a spark of creative thought to our 2023 Fellowship.”

 

 

 

Church news, Fort Scott, Gordon Parks Museum, History

Historic Church Property Donated to the Gordon Parks Museum

3 Comments
The former site of the church at Third and Lowman Street, the Learning Tree Sign is seen in center, left.

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.”

AME Church
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 sign that explains this site is part of the Gordon Parks 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.

Art, Fort Scott, Government, History

Fort Scott Chamber Awarded Grant For History Mural on Skubitz Plaza

6 Comments

A historic mural project commemorating the African-American troops that fought in the Civil War is moving forward in Fort Scott.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown Division applied for and received a Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity grant for $5,250 to have a mural painted on the building that faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site on Skubitz Plaza.

This mural will be replaced with a new one depicting African-American troops who served in the American Civil War.

“The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry mural will be facing the Fort Scott National Historic Site,” Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison said. ” It commemorates the infantry that was stationed at the fort.”

The grant application was made through a new Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is a 501c3 entity, she said.

Rachel French, who is on the FS Chamber Downtown Division committee, served as the project coordinator, assisted by Taton Majors, with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc. Other members of the downtown Chamber committee are Cathy Bishop, John Crain, Bailey Lyons and Angela Simon.

The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Committee 2021. Submitted photo. From left: Bailey Lyons, John Crain, Rachel French and Angela Simon. Not pictured is Cathy Bishop.

Deadline for proposals from artists interested in designing and painting the mural was May 31.

Selected artists proposals will be sent to Kansas University Professor of African American Studies, Randal Jelks, to ensure that all drawings are culturally sensitive, French said.

“Then he can make recommendations for possible revisions for design, after that, a local panel here will judge,” French said.

Names will not be attached to the art proposals for judging, to ensure fairness.

The local judges panel includes Trent and Kate Freeman, owners of a local art shop; Whitney Beth, a local art teacher; Katie Hueston, who has been involved in the coordinating of murals in the last two years in the historic downtown area; Kirk Sharp, executive director of the Gordon Parks Museum; Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at Fort Scott National Historic Site; and Jerry Witt, owner of the building on which the mural will be painted.

“After they select a winner, we will reach out to the winner personally,” French said. “We will then make the announcement on Facebook and do a press release on June 19. After that, the artist can start and has to be done by September 1.”

To keep up to date on the mural creation:

https://www.facebook.com/muralsoffortscott

The mural will be dedicated during the Gordon Parks Celebration on the first Friday in October, French said.

The $5,250 grant is a matching grant.

“We are fundraising for the match,” French said. “We need to do signage and there will be recognition of donors.”

To donate:

https://muralsoffortscott.wixsite.com/home

 

According to French, other community stakeholders in this mural project are Rob Harrington with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.; Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin; Fort Scott City Commissioners Matthew Wells and Josh Jones; Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp; Fort Scott National Historic Site Superintendent Jill Jaworski,  and Brenner, also with the fort.

The following is from the press release announcing the grant awards from the Kansas Department of Commerce:

“Awardees are in communities across the state with less than 15,000 population. The murals will highlight community gathering spaces and tourist attractions – and provide a welcome message for visitors and residents alike. Each of the projects requires a 1:1 match from the community, with the smallest of communities allowed to match the grant with in-kind donations. Seventy-five percent of the grant funding will be gifted upfront as several of the city projects plan to start in the next few weeks.”

To view a prior story:

Historic Mural Soon Coming to Downtown Fort Scott: Artist Proposals Needed by May 29