Current Exhibits
Identity & Race in 1940s Keene
A display of artifacts related to the Albert Johnston family of Keene and Lost Boundaries, the Louis de Rochemont Hollywood film inspired by their story.
Exhibit Programming
January 27, 2019 2-4pm Lost Boundaries Film @ the Colonial Theater
Introduction to film: Dr. Larry Benaquist, filmmaker
A Short Documentary filmed by NHPBS of the Johnston Family will screen prior to the film.
This film is based on a shocking true story that happened in Keene, NH. The story is about Dr. Albert Johnston and his family, a black family who passed for white in order to work while living in Keene, NH, in the 1930s and 1940s.
The film will be followed by closing words from Dr. Dottie Morris, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Keene State College.
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”
In honor of this, join us for a screening of Brother Outsider, a documentary following the life of Bayard Rustin, who is said to be one of the most controversial figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Following the film, there will be a facilitated discussion reflecting on the experiences and ideas brought up in the film, how it relates to our current understanding of the social movements, and how we can apply these lessons of history to our current movements and social justice work.
Film description:
During his 60-year career as an activist, organizer and “troublemaker,” Bayard Rustin formulated many of the strategies that propelled the American civil rights movement. His passionate belief in Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence drew Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders to him in the 1940’s and 50’s; his practice of those beliefs drew the attention of the FBI and police. In 1963, Rustin brought his unique skills to the crowning glory of his civil rights career: his work organizing the March on Washington, the biggest protest America had ever seen. But his open homosexuality forced him to remain in the background, marking him again and again as a “brother outsider.” Brother Outsider: the Life of Bayard Rustin combines rare archival footage — some of it never before broadcast in the U.S. — with provocative interviews to illuminate the life and work of a forgotten prophet of social change.
This event is free and open to the public.
Our Beloved Community
“Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
What did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. mean when he spoke of the beloved community? This event will explore the ways in which our community members are embodying this philosophy. We will ask ourselves how we can continue to create loving and celebratory relationships that uphold Dr. King’s vision.
Our Beloved Community encourages us to cultivate bonds with people and organizations in new and exciting ways. This is an opportunity for our community to gather and work together toward a shared future. We build stronger communities by recognizing our personal and shared responsibility to one another.
All are welcome! Come learn about local community organizations, participate in a collective art project, and hear stories from neighbors who exemplify the spirit of the beloved community.
Join us as we explore Dr. King’s vision through art, storytelling, conversation, and reflection.
