Art exhibits highlight African American History in Topeka will soon open

TOPEKA (KSNT) - NOTO will soon be home to two temporary exhibits that will explore Topeka's African American History.

Shawnee County Parks and Recreation (SCP+R) announced in a news release the NOTO Arts District will display two exhibits using different mediums to portray African American History in the capital city, as well as other events events. The two exhibits are called "Our Stories: African American Topeka Before And After Brown" and "Craving Light: The Museum of Love & Reckoning."

The "Our Stories: African American Topeka Before And After Brown" exhibit will bring history to life by taking visitors beyond the history books, according to the news release. Black American Blueprint Collective curated this exhibit to celebrate and honor the experiences and contributions of Black Americans to Topeka, the community, society, culture and economy.

Topekans who lived through key moments in history have shared their stories to gain a deeper understanding of Topeka's Black history. According to the news release, one prominent story is the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education Decision.

The next exhibit called "Craving Light: The Museum of Love & Reckoning" also highlights the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Artist Vanessa German worked with members of the community to create an exhibit to share personal narratives using multimedia; sculpture, collage and video.

Plaintiffs from the Brown v. Board of Education case as well as other individuals who were deeply impacted by the ruling will be featured in the exhibit. The Craving Light exhibit will be in NOTO through Dec. 31, 2024.

The exhibits will be open to the public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. There are other events community members can enjoy a Mini Vendor Market. Starting at 11 a.m. that day, presentations will be taking place to educate visitors about historic events in Shawnee County. A local rock band, "Out of Commission" will perform at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission to the Great Overland Station will be free, according to the news release.

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