The 19th Annual Gordan Parks Celebration

Schedule of Events

Thursday, October 6, 2022

• PHOTO EXHIBIT – In the Lunt Lobby of the Fine Arts Center. The photo contest sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography will be on display with the theme of “I Am Driven By”. Winners will be announced at the Chamber Coffee, 8 a.m.
• PHOTO EXHIBIT – In the Gordon Parks Museum and Lobby of the Fine Arts Center. The Gordon Parks Mercy Foundation Collection, with some of Gordon’s photos and poems.
• SIGN DISPLAY & MURAL DISPLAY – Visit the Lowell Milken Center Unsung Heroes Park, 1 S. Main St., Gordon Parks is one of the featured signs. View also the mural of Gordon Parks, by local artist Stephen Toal, at Riverfront Park, 400 N. National.
• 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee at the Gordon Parks Museum. FREE.
• 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Showing of the film Criterion Collection The Learning Tree in FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE.
• 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. –Registration open outside of Museum.
• 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – (Lunch and Learn) “In the Shadow of Obscurity: Tolling in a Reluctant Society” Arif Khatib, Filmmaker, Author, and Founder/President at the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame. Arif will present his book that not only tells the stories of many of our great sports figures in history, but also addresses their pain on the road to greatness. “It is a must read” to understand why we must stay focused and make this society understand that we must all commit to a just society and make things better for generations to come. FREE to Attend. Chicken Caesar & Club wrap lunches are available in the lobby ($8-purchase that day) or bring your own lunch and join us. Dessert and drinks also available in the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE.
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Guided Trolley Tour of Gordon Parks’ Fort Scott & The Learning Tree Film Scene Locations. Meet at the entrance of the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. See the places in Fort Scott that are part of Gordon Parks’ history. Fee: $7.
• 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Showing of the film Leadbelly in the Gordon Parks Museum. FREE.
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. -“Fort Scott Book Club Presentation,” “A Choice of Weapons Revisited”, Hosted by Park Rangers from Fort Scott National Historic Site. (Social Hour starts at 5:30 p.m. Wine and Refreshments). FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE.
• 7:00 p.m. -“Photography Techniques: Jim Richardson on Gordon Parks Photos” National Geographic Magazine Photographer Jim Richardson will discuss and explore the photographic techniques Parks used to create his signature images, which reflect the documentary esthetic of LIFE magazine in its heyday era. This freewheeling discussion will honor Parks as a master technician, part of his huge talent that is often neglected. Gordon Parks made iconic photographs (Social Hour starts at 5:30 p.m. Wine and Refreshments) FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE

Friday, October 7, 2022

• 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. -Registration open outside of Museum.
• 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. – “Video Production Seminar: Fort Scott African American Experience Grant Project” This video seminar/presentation will show and discuss what video and movie making is about and how to find inspiration and some insight of the technical aspects. Students will then be creating videos and social media posts of their findings or to tell the stories they uncover. This is open to the community to attend. This is part of a grant project collaboration with the Fort Scott National Historic Site where H.S. & college students from the Fort Scott area will conduct research of unsung African Americans or events they are associated with from the Fort Scott area. Moderated by Carl Brenner, Project Grant Director & Acting Superintendent at the Fort Scott National Historic Site, with featured panelist; David Parks, photographer, filmmaker, author, and son of Gordon Parks, Robin Hickman-Winfield, Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions and great-niece of Gordon Parks, along with Eli Reed, acclaimed photographer and author. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center Theater. This project is funded by a federal grant. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE.
• 10:05 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. -“A Conversation with Choice of Weapon Honorees.” The 2022 “Choice of Weapons Award” honorees, Adger Cowans, and William C. Rhoden. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE.
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – (Lunch and Learn Event) “Gordon Parks and Kansas: New Open Access Digital Resources” Aileen June Wang, Curator, and Sarah Price, Collections Manager, at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art along with Katherine Karlin, Professor, English Department, Kansas State University will introduce new findings about Gordon Parks from their research for a virtual exhibition of Gordon Parks photographs, an open access digital exhibition catalog, and the website The Learning Tree: A Gordon Parks Digital Archive. FREE to Attend. Sack lunches are available in the lobby ($8-purchase that day) or bring your own lunch and join us. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE.
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. -(Lunch and Learn Event) “I Needed Paris Project Update” with Michael Cheers, Associate Professor, Photojournalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University. This will be an update on the “I Needed Paris” project that will take a group of diverse American student photographers through Paris, traversing the same streets and neighborhoods as Gordon Parks, when he worked in the Paris Bureau of Life magazine 1949-1951. This session reimagines Gordon’s iconic fashion, portrait, and documentary photo essay work. The session peeks inside some of the book chapters – portraits of African American expats, trendy black fashion designers, and an intimate look at the homeless, migrant, and refugee communities – that will be published to document this project in 2023. FREE to Attend.Sack lunches are available in the lobby ($8-purchase that day) or bring your own lunch and join us. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Auditorium. FREE.
• 1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. -“Choice of Weapon Honorees Presentation” The 2022 “Choice of Weapons Award” honorees, Adger Cowans and William C. Rhoden, will each share their perspective works in photography, art, books, videos, etc…. Adger Cowans, Photographer, Author, painter will present some of his photography. Mr. Cowans will show photos from his personal collection and of Gordon Parks, who was a longtime friend. William C. Rhoden, Documentary Award winning sports columnist and author for the New York Times, Author of Forty Million Dollars Slaves, and a writer at large for Andscape, will share some of his video stories, columns, and information from his books. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE
• 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. -Film Screening Presentation: “Presence of Absence: Gordon Parks Through an Empathic Lens” Multimedia artist, Andrew F. Scott will present his video with Six-time Grammy winner Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective in Concert, and will discuss the process of putting this project together and creating it with Professor Matthew Gainer, Professor of Graphic Design, Department of Art at Kansas State University along with his students. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum. FREE.
• 7:30 p.m. –“Hot Jazz & R&B” (Social Hour at 6:30 p.m.) Featuring, Paula Sanders & Derick Cunigan, Multi-talented Jazz & R&B Vocalists, performing the very best in Jazz & R&B. Cash bar available. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton St. Fee: $25.00. Reserve Tickets by Wed, Oct, 5.

Saturday, October 8, 2022

• 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. -Registration open outside of Museum.
• 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. -Panel Discussion “Taking the Shot” Join us for a panel discussion on photography and how to take or create great photographic images. Some discussion will include: techniques, lighting, depth, inspiration, and impact. Moderated by John Mason, Associate Professor, University of Virginia Department of History with featured panelist; Adger Cowans, 2022 Choice of Weapons Honoree, Michael Cheers, Associate Professor, San Jose State University, Eli Reed, Photographer & 2021 Choice of Weapons Honoree, Veretta Cobler, Photographer, and Don Thompson, Photographer. Coffee, water, juice, and light refreshments will be available. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum. FREE.
• 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 p.m. -“Open Mic Poetry” This open mic is for any poets, rappers, musicians, or artists of all ages to read their work. Bring your friends, your poetry, your instruments, your beats, your inspirations, your creativity, and your talent! No sign-up necessary, just hop on the mic when you’re ready! Hosted by poet, Barbara L. Eikner. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum. FREE.
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. -(Lunch and Learn Event) “Buffalo Soldiers Presentation” The Alexander/Madison Chapter – Greater Kansas City/Leavenworth Area 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association will be in full authentic Buffalo Soldier uniforms. The troopers will provide a moving presentation on the great legacy and rich background of the historic Buffalo Soldiers from the years 1866 to 1944. Original Buffalo Soldier artifacts will be on display during the presentation. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center/Gordon Parks Museum. FREE “BBQ on the Patio”Come and join us for some great barbeque, potato salad, chips, drinks, etc. Sponsored by Dunks BBQ. (Visitors may bring their own lunch.) Drinks will be provided. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE.
• 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. -“Film Screening Presentation: Many Fires This Time: We the 100 Million” This is an award-winning documentary film that received the Gordon Parks Black Film Excellence Honorable Mention Award (2021) at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, KS. Directed by Jason R.A. Foster, and produced by Michael “Quess?” Moore and Jeremy Liu, Many Fires This Time: We the 100 Million is a poetic documentary about the 1 in 3 Americans and counting, living in economic insecurity. FREE.
• 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. -Guided Trolley Tour of Gordon Parks’ Fort Scott & The Learning Tree Film Scene Locations. Meet at the entrance of the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. See the places in Fort Scott that are part of Gordon Parks’ history. Fee: $7.
• 7:00 p.m. -“Celebration Tribute Dinner” (Social Hour starts at 6:00 p.m.) Join us for an evening of celebration and dinner, with music, tribute, and presentation of the 2022 “Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” to Adger Cowans and William C. Rhoden. FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. 2108 S. Horton St. All seats reserved. Fee: $30.00. (Reserve by Wed, Oct. 5)

Sunday, October 9, 2022

• • 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast at Crooner’s Lounge. Enjoy a breakfast buffet at one of Fort Scott’s finest! Located at 117 S. Main Street, Downtown Fort Scott. You are sure to find something on the buffet that will please your appetite. Check it out at: fscrooners.com. (No ticket required-everyone pays for their own.)

TICKET PURCHASE FOR THE GORDON PARKS CELEBRATION:

Friday, October 7th Hot Jazz and R&B – Reserve Only. (all other tickets may be purchased on site). Please reserve by Wed., Oct. 5th

Saturday, October 8th BBQ on the Patio – Reservation Only. (all other tickets may be purchased on site). Please reserve by Fri., Oct. 7th

Saturday, October 8th Tribute Dinner – Reservation Only. (all other tickets may be purchased on site). Please reserve by Wed., Oct. 5th

Reservation and Ticket Purchases are available here