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Facing The Rising Sun presents the remnants of a once thriving North Dallas Community. Facing The Rising Sun contains photographs, found objects, and historical documents that provide an insight into a community called Freedman's Town and later known as short North Dallas and now known as Uptown. Interactive video kiosks allow visitors to see and hear from the people who knew Freedman's Town first-hand.


Clementine Hunter
Trixie's Zennias
Oil on canvas

The AAM, Dallas has one of the largest collections of African American folk art in the country. The Billy R. Allen Folk Art Collection, named for a founding board member, has grown to include more than 500 objects. Dr. Warren and Sylvia Lowe of Lafayette, Louisiana, Sally Griffiths and Dr. Bobby Alexander of Dallas, Texas have been major contributors. Pieces from the collection are rotated, twice each year, in the Sam and Ruth Bussey Gallery. Artists include Clementine Hunter, Mose Tolliver, Reverend Johnnie Swearingen, David Butler, Sister Gertrude Morgan, and Isaac Smith to name a few.


Thomas Day Bed
(Circa 1840) Poplar,
walnut and walnut
veneer

The Decorative Arts Collection consists of objects as early as the late 18th century. Some items are an 1824 coverlet; five pieces crafted between 1840-1850 by the legendary North Carolina furniture maker, Thomas Day (1820-1860); an 1888 crazy quilt; an 1830 slave made desk from San Augustine, Texas; and ceramics by Carroll Harris Simms, Co-founder of the Texas Southern University Art Department and Sandy Besser African Basket Collection. Also included is a silver teaspoon made by Peter Bentzon (1783-1850).


Thomas Day Bed (Circa 1840) Poplar , walnut and walnut veneer. Having octagonal posts transitioning to square and having post stopped with classical turning. Bolted construction with shaped rails. Drop-in headboard with inverted acorn decoration below arches, surmounted by leaf carved crest. Full size 78"x64"x84"


#ustoo: Phenomenal Women is an exhibition featuring local emerging female African American artists using their artistic voices and media of their choice to express the sisterhood, the validation, the equality, the empowerment, the strength, the love, the genius, the sheer power of African American Women.


Women in Music consists of selected photographs from the Sepia Magazine Archives in collaboration with the Sammons Center. This exhibition will feature female jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn to contemporary giants such as Whitney Houston, Diana Ross and Janet Jackson.


Andrew Scott is an artist, and educator working at the intersection of digital fabrication technologies and traditional fine arts practice. Trained in sculpture he employs laser cutters, CNC mills, 3d printers and scanning to fabricate objects, create installations and immersive visual experiences using projection mapping. His creative practice spans more than three decades. Working at a variety of scales and in diverse materials he creates work that are both technically compelling and socially relevant.

His work has been exhibited worldwide in galleries, museums and other venues. He has completed several permanent public art projects and participated on design teams with architects and engineers on major civic projects. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he currently resides in Dallas, Texas where he is an Associate Professor of Art in the School of Art and Technology (ATEC) at the University of Texas at Dallas.


Made In America will document African-American history from past to present. Seeing how the past has impacted our current way of life, Made in America will consist of interviews with the individuals in the exhibit. The exhibit will also be an interactive experience where the exhibit attendees are able to listen to the interview of the person in the painting. Along with people, Riley will be illustrating historical events and Black culture. The people and events will primarily be specific to the city of Dallas.


The Kinsey Collection is unique in that it is where art and history intersect, telling the often-untold stories of African American's achievement and contribution through primary sources of historical objects starting from 1595, as well as two and three dimensional artworks from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The Collection has been cited in three national awards, including the President's National Award Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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This exhibition program was originally named the Biennial Southwest Black Art Competition and Exhibition. It was established in 1976 at the African American Museum. The purpose of this exhibition program is to expand the Museum's distinguished fine art collection and to provide black artists a venue to display their work. In 1999, the African American Museum Board of Trustees renamed the Biennial Southwest Black Art Competition and Exhibition the Carroll Harris Simms National Black Art Competition and Exhibition. The competition and exhibition attract artists nationally of African American descent.