George Thomas' sculpture Jazz-Jazz Mo-Blues is his interpretation of the entertainment found in during the hey days of Idlewild. It will be on display at the Ramsdell Hardy Hall Gallery through Feb. 25
Courtesy of the Lake County Historical SocietyMANISTEE — In honor of Black History Month, the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) and Manistee Area Racial Justice & Diversity Initiative (MARJDI) have partnered to host “Journey of Discovery: Honoring the contributions of African Americans in Rural Michigan.” A series of free programs and events will take place through Feb. 25 at the Center, 101 Maple Street in Manistee.
The month kicks off at the Ramsdell Hardy Hall Gallery with an exhibition of works by African American artists from rural Michigan. The Lake County Historical Museum has placed several works by renowned Idlewild folk artist George Thomas on loan for this exhibit.
Thomas has been quoted as saying “People describe me as a folk artist, I do folk art, but an artist can do anything. I am also a painter and a sculptor. I do things with paper mâché, wire and wood.”
His box sculpture Jazz-Jazz Mo-Blues is his interpretation of the entertainment found in during the hey days of Idlewild. Every part of Thomas’ art was gathered from found objects from the wood “box” to the featured performer and musical equipment. Another piece on exhibit is Tin Can Man — a metal sculpture of a jazz musician created from tin cans, wire and wood. Each piece is creative and is an expression of who the artist George Thomas is.
Works by several other Michigan artists will be on display, including framed prints by Paul Collins. Although most people connect Collins with Grand Rapids, his family has retained a cottage on Idlewild Lake for decades. Collins is world renowned and for many years his murals were featured at the Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.
Also included in the exhibition will be a poster display on loan from the Michigan State University Museum called, “Welcome to Idlewild: The Black Eden of Michigan” and a display entitled “Journey on the Underground Railroad,” from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, in Detroit.
The artist gallery is open noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sundays and 5-7 p.m. Wednesday evenings through Feb 25. An artist’s reception will be held 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb 4, in the Hardy Hall Gallery. The exhibit and artist reception is free and open to everyone of all ages.
The month long celebration of Black History will include three programs in the Ramsdell Theatre.
The Smithsonian documentary “Green Book: Guide to Freedom” will be presented 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb 11. This film is provided by the Lake County Historical Society, with an introduction by the Society’s president Bruce Micinski. Micinski also serves as the historical museum’s research librarian and was instrumental in the making of the documentary, contributing historical images and information about Idlewild. Micinski will be available following the film screening to answer questions. The program is free, but the Center would appreciate prior registration for attendance. Register by visiting the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts website: www.ramsdelltheatre.org.
Singer, songwriter Crys Matthews will be in concert at the theatre 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb 16. Matthews is hailed as one of “…the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers.” Matthews was classically-trained as a clarinetist who has turned into a folk singer star. This live show is not to be missed.
Finally, the RRCA and MARJDI are proud to present a special lecture 2-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb 18, by historian Dr. Anna Lisa Cox, an alumna fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African American Research. The subject of her talk will be “With Liberty and Justice for All: The Black Pioneers Who Upheld the Values of the American Revolution in Frontier Michigan and Manistee.”
Even though slavery was finally abolished in 1865, African Americans were often a hidden minority in the northern states. To help retain local history, Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the African Americans who journeyed to rural Michigan, and recognize that they, along with the other European immigrant groups and the Anishinaabe people already here, are an all-too-often overlooked part of the spirit and fabric of the region.
These events were funded and underwritten by a grant from Michigan Arts & Culture Council, The National Endowment for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Humanities and the Manistee County Community Foundation.
All the events and shows are free to the public, please register by visiting the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts website: www.ramsdelltheatre.org.
— This article was submitted by the Lake County Historical Society in Baldwin and the Ramsdell Center for the Arts in Manistee.
Black History Month, February 2023
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