The Shorthorn - Alumnus showcases photos from civil rights movement at Black History Month gallery

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Alumnus showcases photos from civil rights movement at Black History Month gallery

Written by Joan Khalaf, The Shorthorn senior staff

Monday, 01 February 2010 10:28 PM

Ron Abram, lecturer on Urban Texas African-American Community History and UTA alumnus, speaks about his grandfather�s photographs Monday during Night at the Gallery in the UC Carlisle Suite. The photographs that Abram displayed depict the life and culture of African-American communities throughout North Texas through five decades of social change. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

The story of black history has always been told inaccurately — that they couldn’t hold their own, alumnus Ron Abram said.

“But it was far from it,” he said. “We had an upper class, a middle class and a lower class. We were solid and totally self-sufficient.”

Some of the works of Abram’s grandfather, Calvin Littlejohn, were displayed Monday night in the University Center Carlisle Suite for a Night at the Gallery, the first event celebrating Black History Month at UTA.

Littlejohn’s photos of key moments in black history were displayed on easels around the dimly lit room.

The photos are part of a larger collection available at the Doph Briscoe Center for American History at UT-Austin.

Abram travels showing the images that documented moments in black history, including the segregation period, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other famous figures.

“This is my duty and my life’s work has been all about what my granddad did,” he said.

The event also included a live jazz band and spoken word, or poetry performance.

Academic adviser Rhonda Hudson said she came for spoken word.

Musician Matt Skates plays upright bass at the Night at the Gallery on Monday evening in University Center Carlisle Suite. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

“I like to see it if it’s done with passion,” she said. “I don’t even know why you would do it if you didn’t have passion.”

Theatre arts junior Eric Johnson was asked to perform on a whim, but he happened to have written something before he came. He shared a story about familial abuse and how he never wanted anyone to grow up with a sense that the abuse was justified.

“I want her to know that there is one man in this world that won’t lay a hand on her,” he recited to the audience. “That’s me.”

Alumnus Michael Guinn asked everyone in the room to say a word, which he then made a poem out of.

Words like “believe,” “momentum,” and “achievement” made it into his improvised poem.

“Spoken word is a way to share my innermost feelings in a creative way,” he said. “It speaks deeper from your soul.”

Black History Month chair Tim Johnson said he liked the event because it was different from other events — like pageants — held previously during the month’s celebration.

Although about 20 people attended, Johnson said he thought people still enjoyed themselves.

“There could have been more,” he said. “But I’m glad that the ones who came did.”

Eric Johnson said he wanted to come to the event because it’s important to focus on roots.

“You have to be true to who you are,” he said. “It’s a shame to proclaim a race and not even know where you came from.”

Correction

An earlier version of this story appeared in print on February 2, 2010 and on www.theshorthorn.com with information that has since been removed. This version has been amended to not show that information.

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