Skyla S. Hearn: Exhibit Opening Program (Public Program)



Program Cover Page



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I arrived at work this morning the same as I had earlier this week---ready to embrace whatever come what may. I walked through the doors of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature and peered to the right into the Exhibit Gallery to check that the lights had been positioned, looked up and around to meet the eyes of Michael Flug. Michael beat me into the Harsh by ten minutes and was checking the amount of “missing” label texts. I assured him that the label texts were not missing and inquired if he’d read my previous email from the day before. He hadn’t. I hurried to the break room, removed my coat and dropped my bag then took a quick trip to the stacks and retrieved the clam shell (acid free archival storage box) with the remaining label text. I joined Michael in the exhibition space where he and I affixed the remaining label texts. We looked one another over, exchanged compliments---we both were clad and dapper in our “Sunday’s Best”---and congratulated one another on a job well done.

Beverly Cook joined us in the exhibition space and completed the last display case by rearranging the items to incorporate the last of the label texts. Beverly designed all four display cases, which perfectly complimented the photographs and other items on exhibit. I then affixed the guest book and pen to the podium. By 9:30am we were ready to receive guests for the opening program, which was due to begin at 1:00pm.

By noon, three camera men and photographers were setting up their equipment, the piano had arrived and awaited assembly and sound check, the caterers were setting up the refreshments and drinks, rows of seats were marked ‘reserved’ for our guest speakers, elderly guests and Wyatt family members. All of our hard work was about to come to fruition and I couldn’t have been more excited, nervous and ready. Marcia Walker, Ph.D. arrived to complete the team. Over the last months, Michael, Marcia and I worked closely to conceptualize, design, coordinate and finally install the opening exhibition. The opening program and exhibit was supervised and orchestrated in a manner that allowed the three of us to work as an intricately designed puzzle.

Guests began to arrive shortly after noon. We greeted them as they gathered throughout the exhibition space and filed into the auditorium. I was overwhelmed with pride and joy that this event was happening and that I’d played such a vital role in its execution. When in the midst of the day-to-day grind and stressors: image selection and manipulation---instructing “hard-headed vendors” to produce missing images, installation--pushing and turning stubborn screws into jute-covered back boards, exhibit design---patiently awaiting the tangible deliverance or physical manifestation of the design and lay out of the exhibition to be released from someone else’s creative mind, etc. you don’t think about the moment when it all comes together. Church members, family, friends, and activists I’d met over the last seven months and formed relationships with as a result of conducting the photo id sessions, meetings, ‘wellness’ phone calls and house visits were all thankful to us for such a job well done. I awaited their responses to the opening program in hopes they would be just as pleased as they were with the exhibition.

Once the auditorium was filled Michael took the stage to introduce the Master of Ceremony, Reverend Calvin Morris, and from there the program began. Rev. Morris charismatically engaged the audience and introduced speakers while drawing on his professional and personal connections with Rev. Addie and Claude Wyatt and some of the speakers. During the event, we were graced with the presence of Rev. Willie Taplin Barrow, best friend and soul sister of Rev. Addie Wyatt. Although she did not speak, her presence was felt and well received by the audience. How remarkable to be in the presence of such greatness from Rev. Willie T. Barrow to Natiera Robinson, a Chicago Academy High School Senior! Natiera Robinson’s presentation on the life and work of Rev. Addie L. Wyatt won her first place in the 2012 Chicago Metro History Fair competition. Although Natiera never met Rev. Wyatt, she was inspired to share Rev. Wyatt’s story of labor union activism in a power point presentation that incorporated clips of Rev. Wyatt’s interviews, a series of short interviews she conducted with Katie Jordan, Marcia Walker and others and photographs.

The opening program would not have been complete without music---gospel music. Rev. Wyatt in addition to her many roles was a pianist, vocalist and choir director. We were graced by the performances of soloists Vernon Oliver Price then Sylvia Coleman Lee who were both accompanied by pianist Aaron Cockerham. Once the program ended, we invited guests to peruse the exhibit then to enjoy refreshments catered by C’est Si Bon---but of course, not together! (After all, we are staunch archivists.) To my surprise, I was interviewed by Chris, a Columbia College student, for The Columbia Chronicle and for the Vernon Park Church of God YouTube channel. I can’t promise that either interview is stellar especially since I was shocked into speechlessness by the cameraman from the Vernon Park Church of God---the bright lights, camera and mike literally caused me to respond like a deer caught in headlights. Fortunately, The Columbia Chronicle will appear in print only.

“Faith in the Struggle: Reverend Addie L. Wyatt’s Fight for Labor, Civil Rights and Women’s Right” exhibit opening program was a labor of love, sweat, tears, and hard work but most importantly it was a major success.

 

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Program Back



Ardra Whitney: Week 2 @ The HistoryMakers

The highlight of my week was the 2012 IMLS Summer Immersion Program’s scheduled field trip to the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library (pictured at right).  On Tuesday, June 12^th, fellows received an introduction to the Woodson Library, as well as an overview of the library’s Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature. Following her introduction and overview, Beverly Cook, Director of Archives and Processing, led fellows on a group tour of the Woodson Library’s preservation lab and archival processing and storage facilities. She also provided us with a fun tutorial on how to access and utilize “Find it” – the Chicago Public Library’s digital access portal. Additionally, fellows completed an archives “scavenger hunt” exercise, which required us to use online findings aids to locate specific collection materials. Ms. Cook‘s tour and conference room presentations were very informative:  I learned about Society for American Archivists’ (SAA) emergency preparedness workshops; stewardship in the archival profession; and the Illinois Collections Preservation Network (ICPN).  Ms. Cook also spoke about the collection development efforts of Vivian G. Harsh (the Chicago Public Library system’s first black librarian). Harsh worked diligently to have books depicting negative and derogatory images of African American s removed from the library. She believed that by replacing these books with ones that more richly documented the history of blacks in America, African American patrons would have a better and more positive library experience.

On Thursday, June 14^th, I attended an archives seminar with Cecilia Salvatore, Ph.D. and Associate Professor of Library and InformationScience at Dominican College. The topic of the seminar was archival cataloging using Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). Fellows discussed general usage of LCSHs, as well as their use in The HistoryMakers EAD/EAC-CPF finding aids. We also completed a simple but insightful practice exercise that required us to use two different indexing methods: derived and free. In addition, the seminar provided fellows with the opportunity to address major challenges we’ve experienced in processing collections for The HistoryMakers Digital Archives.

This week I completed an interview evaluation for journalist, radio host and television news correspondent, Michele Norris (MediaMaker). I also began evaluating an interview for educator, politician and South Carolina native, Crain Woods (EducationMaker). Norris tells such wonderful stories in her interview; I enjoyed listening to her describe Minnesota winters, Birmingham summers and her father’s flower garden.  It was difficult to pick only a few web clips to accompany her interview because she had so many lush and terrifically detailed stories. Likewise, Woods’ remembrances of the sights, smells, and sounds he experienced growing up in Due West, South Carolina, were also beautiful to listen to.

Also, this week Dan Johnson, Digital Archivist, taught fellows how to transform interview evaluations in FileMaker Pro into XML documents in order to create EAD/EAC-CPF finding aids. I look forward to publishing my first finding aid for the Alvin Little oral history interview soon.

In preparation for my upcoming special collections processing project, I watched The HistoryMakers’ DVD of "An Evening with B.B. King,” hosted by producer and songwriter, Isaac Hayes. During the hour long program, I learned that King’s real name is Riley B. King—and that the “B.B.” in his stage name stands for Blues Boy.  I also learned the startling but humorous story behind the name of his famous guitar, Lucille. In addition to blues guitarist and vocalist, B.B. King, I have been assigned to process special collections for the multiple Grammy award winning music producer, composer and arranger, Quincy Jones; and politician, diplomat and activist, Andrew Young.

On Wednesday, June 13^th, I met with Dan Johnson and Julieanna Richardson, Founder/Executive Director, to discuss my progress with the fellowship.  During the meeting, she discussed the importance of creating a narrative flow when writing evaluation summaries that captured the essence of an interview–without reading like a transcript. When our conversation turned to my interest in the visual arts, she recommended I call and speak with South Carolina painter and printmaker, Jonathan Green (ArtsMaker).  When I called the Jonathan Green Studio in Daniel Island, South Carolina, I spoke with Richard Weedman, Studio Director. Mr. Weedman was very gracious and invited me to stop by the studio, once I started my residency with Avery Research Center.

At the African American history lecture with Christopher Reed on Wednesday, discussion focused on topics, such as blacks and the 18th century Revolutionary War; blacks in the North;  and slave labor in American agriculture. One thing that Dr. Reed said regarding blacks and the American Revolution , which resonated with me was that  “black soldiers served on both sides during the Revolutionary War as a safeguard for their interests”—namely freedom. I think the same was true for black soldiers who fought on both sides during the Civil War.

Speaking of emancipation, this upcoming Tuesday, June 19^th, is Juneteenth–also known as Freedom or Emancipation Day. The term is a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth". Recognized as a state holiday in forty-one U.S. states, including Illinois; Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Galveston, Texas in 1865.

Ardra Whitney
IMLS Fellow
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture