‘Representation, recognition and awareness’
By James Sloan, Rogue Valley Times
Honoring the achievements and contributions of Black citizens both locally and internationally, the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon collaborated with Black Alliance & Social Empowerment (BASE) Southern Oregon on Saturday to commemorate those accomplishments with activities and opportunities for education.
More than 100 attendees filled the museum on Medford’s West Main Street, partaking in numerous workshops and activities from clay mask-making to arts and crafts stations to make their own kente designs.
“Today is about representation, recognition and awareness; education is a big thing,” said Vance Beach, founder and executive director of BASE.
“BASE does a lot of cultural celebrations, so part of today is our recognition and awareness around Black history,” Beach added.
Attendees of the Black History Month Celebration had the opportunity to participate in drumming classes, make soul food, create art inspired from Black artists such as painter Alma Thomas and sculptor Isaac Scott Hathaway and much more.
Across the street, museum employees Angelina White and Amy Hulsey assisted with cornbread making and mask-making at the museum’s clay and culinary studios.
“We want people to get inspired and represent themselves,” White said of the mask making workshop, based off artist Isaac Scott Hathaway’s numerous masks and busts commemorating important African American leaders.
Helping her sons T.J. Withers, 5, and Lennox Withers, 3, glue paper art creations based off the Ghanaian textile style of kente, Marcella Johnson of Medford and the kids were visiting the Children’s Museum for the first time.
“BASE brought us here and we’ve actually never been so I thought this would be a good time to bring them,” Johnson said.
Beyond the art stations, reading sessions and other activities, a key focus for organizers was education.
“What’s been cool for me today has been the curiosity of the kids coming up and asking a lot of questions,” said Jess Freedman of BASE, standing at the organization’s display table filled with Dashikis, a Kwanzaa Kinara and other cultural pieces.
“Building community is our No. 1 goal, and that means creating a stronger and thriving Black community as well as normalizing the existence of Black culture here in Southern Oregon,” Freedman said.
“We’re very excited to be able to offer this through a grant we received through Travel Oregon,” said Michelle Wilson, development director of the museum. “As soon as we knew we would be able to do that, we reached out to (BASE).”
Part of the group’s education efforts involve working with the Oregon Black Pioneers, an African American historical society exploring the often under-covered history of Black settlers and communities throughout the state.
The two organizations recently collaborated via BASE.’s YouTube and social media channels to teach about and highlight notable Black citizens in Southern Oregon’s history such as 19th-century Jacksonville settler Ben Johnson, who was a business owner and homeowner whose namesake was used for one of Southern Oregon’s mountains.
Another highlighted Black leader and pioneer in Southern Oregon is John Mathews, who named Eagle Point based on the numerous birds nesting in the town.
“These are some Black folks that were not really recognized that are right here in our community,” Beach said. “I think it’s really important to bring some of those historical figures to life because it truly shows that we were here and we did things here and we do matter and had reputation and influence in this area of Southern Oregon.”
While the Black History Month Celebration wrapped up at 5 p.m. Saturday, BASE is set to hold multiple events commemorating the month, including a collaborative exhibit with Rogue Gallery & Art Center titled “Vibrant Expressions: Celebrating Black Artistry” from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16.
The museum will continue to offer events and programs such a pop-up at the Growing Together Family Community Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-17, and Artists in the Amphitheater in April.
To learn more about the museum, visit tcmso.org.
For more information on BASE, visit baseoregon.org.
Reach reporter James Sloan at [email protected]. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
