Press release from Asheville Museum of History:
The Asheville Museum of History is in the final stages of preparation for its newest exhibition: The Photography of Andrea Clark: Remembering Asheville’s East End Community. Opening to the public on Saturday, September 21st, 2024, this new exhibition showcases rare images from the late 1960s through the early 1970s of Asheville’s East End neighborhood, downtown, and other city locations, captured by renowned local photographer Andrea Clark. Featuring 35 framed photographic prints from Clark’s extensive photo series documenting areas of the city that were later rapidly transformed by the city of Asheville’s urban renewal program and redevelopment, Clark’s photos are a vital record of the landscape, people, and buildings that once made up the now lost African American community of the East End.
Accompanying the framed photographic prints, on loan from the Pack Memorial Public Library or specially printed for the exhibit, are essays on the history behind these stunning images and how urban renewal impacted Asheville’s downtown communities. A section of the exhibition will also highlight the work and buildings of Clark’s grandfather James Vester Miller, a well-known master brick mason who built many public buildings around Asheville that are shown in Clark’s photos. The exhibition will occur in two parts, with a new rotation of photographs from the series planned for display in February 2025.
In celebration of this exhibition, the museum is hosting a special Preview Party on Friday, September 20th at 6:00 PM, which will include music by DJ Raf, cuisine by Chef Hector Diaz of Modesto, and generously donated beverages from New Belgium Brewing, Burial Beer, and Devil’s Foot Beverage Company. This is a ticketed event in the spirit of a gala, but with an affordable ticket price of $50 for museum members and $60 for non-members. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ashevillehistory.org.
The Preview Party directly supports the Community Day public opening on Saturday, September 21st, which is a free event open to the public. The Community Day event will begin at 11:00 a.m., offering a variety of activities for all ages through the day. A full schedule of the Community Day is as follows:
Community Day Schedule of Events & Programming
11:00am – 12:00pm:
Live music with the Jukebox Jumpers11:00am – 5:00pm:
Kids Polaroid Photography
Help us document our Community Day by taking a photo of our museum and grounds with one of our Polaroid cameras! After the opening, these photos will be scanned and preserved on the museum’s website.12:00pm – 1:30pm:
The History & Lasting Effects of Urban Renewal in a National & Local Context:
Scholarly talks on urban renewal with Dr. Sarah Judson & Dr. Kathleen Lawlor, followed by a joint Q&A session
*Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis*12:00pm – 2:00pm:
Children’s Interactive Programming:
West African Music & Drumming with Adama Dembele2:00pm – 3:00pm:
Live music with the Jukebox Jumpers3:00pm – 5:00pm:
A Conversation on Our Communities & Neighborhoods, with Andrea Clark & Special Guests:
Residential panel includes Asheville residents Matthew Bacoate, Cliff Cotton, & Dee Williams, with Dr. Dwight Mullen serving as moderator*Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis*
The exhibition opening and Community Day event is made possible with special thanks to ArtsAVL and Buncombe County, in addition to our sponsors: Hopemont Associates, Ralph Simpson, The Van Winkle Law Firm, an Anonymous Donor, and The James Vester Miller Historic Trail.
The Asheville Museum of History is located in the historic Smith-McDowell House, on the campus of AB Tech, at 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801. The museum’s regular hours are Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. During normal hours of operation, admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $6 for military, college students, and youth ages 7-17. Children under 6 are free. In addition to special thematic exhibitions, the museum houses a permanent exhibit representing the history of the 23 counties that comprise the Western North Carolina region. The museum also hosts regular educational programming and events—for more information, please visit www.ashevillehistory.org.
For more information: www.ashevillehistory.org/andrea-clark/
For questions, contact Polly Rolman-Smith: director@ashevillehistory.org
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