Volume 2, No. 2 (Winter 1998) -- Black History Month Issue

Seven-year old Daren Slaton sits up straight at the site of Susheel Bib's grand stage entrance. The actress/scholar introduces herself as abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant, "Mother of Civil Rights in California." Dressed for the early 1900s, she spins a tale of her adventures with John Brown, and her court battle to abolish segregation on San Francisco trolley cars. Bib sings, cries, and laughs as she reveals her life story. Daren is spellbound.

After intermission, Daren and other students ask questions of the character. She answers in the voice of Pleasant, engaging the theater in an intimate conversation. Then Bib exits and returns to take questions in her scholarly role as a faculty member of the Interdisciplinary Studies department at UC Berkeley.

What Daren has just experienced at the California African American Museum (CAMM) is a Chautauqua performance, an interactive form of entertainment that flourished in 19th century New York. Chautauqua performances are one-person shows in which a scholar/expert on a particular historical figure, performs a character monologue about the individual being portrayed. Audience participation is a unique aspect of this performance style. Other historical figures which have been featured in Chautauqua performances are WEB Dubois and Malcolm X.

Breathing Life into History

Chautauqua performances are the core of a pilot CAAM school program, set to begin in February 1998. The Chautauqua performers will appear at LaSalle elementary school in Los Angeles and introduce fourth graders to African-American historical figures in early California history and the Westward Migration - areas established by the California Department of Education as being the curriculum focus for the fourth grade. The use of Chautaugua historical figures in the classroom provides an interactive, alternative educational experience and a new way of seeing and understanding California history. This program is partially funded by the L.A. County Commission for the Arts. As additional funding becomes available, CAAM hopes to bring these performances into classrooms statewide via satellite.

Bringing History to Schools

Our exhibit trunk shows for children and adults travel to malls, libraries, classrooms and places of business throughout Southern California. Teachers may rent the shows by calling the Museum. They can also order a series of CAAM posters with lesson plans on African-American artists. To order Series #1 African American Art, which contains five posters ($30), call Crystal Productions at (800) 255-8629.

Lesson plans for exhibits can be accessed on CAAM's website at http://www.caam.ca.gov. Currently featured are hands-on activities related to Ritual and Remembrance/Personal Icons, an exhibit by artist Betye Saar. Known as one of the leading artists of our generation, Saar explores metaphysical, cultural and identity issues in her mixed media exhibition.

On-Site Exploration

Inside the galleries of the California African-American Museum are treasures of African-American art, history and culture. A kaleidoscope of art and history exhibitions is designed to enhance the public's knowledge of the African-American's contributions, both past and present.

A number of CAAM's exhibitions explore little-known African-American contributions to the fields of science, sports, medicine, and technological invention. Upcoming exhibits feature Blacks in golf, science, technology and the California gold rush. Another exciting exhibition will take visitors on a tour of Allensworth, a successful African-American township that thrived in California during the 1800s.

The Museum reaches out to the surrounding community by providing monthly programs and workshops. These involve hands-on art activities, films, performances and readings by actors, poets, writers and historians.

Art and design classes are also offered. All ages can enjoy workshops on a variety of subjects including: graphic design, creative writing, storytelling, video workshops, voice, and African-American arts and crafts. Docents provide school tours filled with storytelling, gallery games, and hands-on activities.

The current lack of resources for art and cultural education in the schools, may cause entire generations of school children, tomorrow's museum audience, to miss out on the rich cultural life enjoyed by their parents. As a result, museum audiences may face extinction. The California African-American Museum is an artistic, cultural and historical resource for those it serves.

CAAM, located in Exposition Park at 600 State Drive in Los Angeles, is open Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information call (213) 744-7432 or check our website at http://www.caam.ca.gov.

Image 2: Learning new art skills and having fun at a CAMM summer workshop.