- Old Betsy
- Park Neighborhood
- Remember 1973?
- Land and Water
- Pacheco State Park
- Tractor Dealerships
- Settlement of Merced Co.
- Beyond Appearance
- MID Centennial
- Shaping Justice
- Yosemite Exhibit
- A Decade of Art Hopping
- Singing California
- Yosemite Lumber Co.
- Agricultural Centennial
- Grazie America!
- Ghost of Merced County
- Google That Road
- Gold Fever
- Inherit The Wind
- UC Merced at 10
- El Nido & Gustine
- Promoting Merced
- Mexican American Exp.
- Celebrate 125 Years
- A State of Change
- Weaving A Legacy
- Music History
- Civil Liberties
- Young Historians
- Merced College
- Following The Water
- Celebrating Women
- Colorful History
- Camera Club
- The Way We Camped
- Midcentury Merced
- Merced FD History
- Merced County Library
- Merced High Schools
- Endangered Species
- Merced on the Move
- Bear in Mind
- Waterfowl Heritage
- Radio of the Past
- Lewis and Clark Revisited
- Le Grand History
- Nature's Alphabet
- Old Fashioned Fun
- Black Gold
- Byways 2 Highways
- California Pottery
- The Vietnam Era
- Homes of Old Merced
- Ghost Towns
- Sesquicentennial Celebration
- Key Ingredients
- A Taste of History
- A Package Deal
- Sports and Recreation
- Audubon of the West
- Eyes of the Beholders
- Cattle Branding
- Japanese American Exp.
Black Gold:
Faith, Strength, and Determination
Shaping Our Community
Faith, Strength, and Determination
Shaping Our Community
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Merced County Courthouse Museum will open a new exhibit entitled, "Black Gold: Faith, Strength, and Determination Shaping our Community," on Thursday, February 1, 2007 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Featuring historical photographs, artifacts, and oral history, it is the first major exhibit to commemorate the African-American communities of Merced County. This exhibit covering the time period from 1855 to the present is a celebration of their endurance, experience, and legacy. NAACP president and singer Michelle Allison will perform the Negro National Hymn, "Lift your Voice and Sing," and retired school principal Lillian Roberts will give a PowerPoint presentation entitled, "My Life as a Black Educator" at 6:00 pm. This is the first in a series of "Black History Month" events. The event is free to the public and the exhibit will run through June 10.
The African-American Experience Spring Activities
As an educational component of the Black Gold exhibit, we have planned a series of activities at the Courthouse Museum for young and old alike. There will be story times, discussions, and performances on the following dates until the close of the exhibit on June 17. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND START AT 2:00 PM.
Saturday, April 28: Roundtable Discussion. Gwendolyn Wall of Atwater, Jean Greer of Sacramento, and other members of our local African-American families will share their stories of migration, settlement, and community building in a roundtable discussion. Come to see how faith, strength, and determination shape their communities. In addition, helpful hints to help you get started on your family tree project will be given by local genealogist Karen Albright.
Saturday, May 12: Story Time. Merced native Grace Booth will again take on her role as a Storyteller. Her wonderful tales will explore the fascinating African folklore as well as the African-American experience in Merced County.
Saturday, May 26: Relax with Jazz by Belle. Musician Belle Lawrence of Merced invites you to join her in a wonderful world of jazz. Known as one of the finest singles around, she plays alone on keyboards - bass pedals and sings. Her CD entitled, "Relax with Jazz by Belle," will be available for sale.Saturday, June 9: Poetry Reading. Mildred Walters, Sophia Lewis, Courtney Wills, Doretha Thomas, Joyce Dale, Ed Huddleston, and others will share poems written by black poets and some of their own works.
*The museum is currently compiling a booklet based on the exhibit which will be available for sale this summer. For more information, please contact the museum at info@mercedmuseum.org or 723-2401.