Arts & Culture Alliance Presents 1919: Knoxville’s Red Summer - 2006

The general public is invited to view 1919: Knoxville’s Red Summer, beginning with an opening reception on Friday, March 3, 5-9pm with a performance by Kuumba Watoto Drum & Dance Company.  The Arts & Culture Alliance will feature photographs from the archives of Beck Cultural Exchange Center highlighting the lively personalities and businesses of Knoxville’s African-American community circa 1900-1922.  The exhibit is co-sponsored by Beck Cultural Exchange Center, the Arts & Culture Alliance, and Carpetbag Theatre and continues through March 31 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville.
 
The exhibit is presented in cooperation with Carpetbag Theatre’s production of Red Summer, March 23-25, 7pm. This original work highlights a transformative event in Knoxville’s history: In the summer of 1919, mob violence exploded in a number of communities throughout the North and South. Red Summer, adapted by Steve Kent from a play by Mayta Haley, depicts the impact of the night Maurice Mays, a prominent African-American business man and ex-deputy sheriff, was accused of murdering a white woman in Knoxville.  Red Summer tells the story of a black community that could not escape the horrors of racial conflict in the post-WWI era.  The Carpetbag Theatre’s mission is to give artistic voice to the underserved, particularly in the communities of place, tradition, and spirit that constitute their audience.  For tickets and information, please call (865) 544-0447.
 
The opening reception on Friday, March 3, from 5-9pm, is free and open to the public, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres are served.  1919: Knoxville’s Red Summer is on exhibit from March 3 – 31 at the Emporium Center for Arts & Culture, 100 S. Gay Street, downtown Knoxville. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9-5, and Saturday, 11-3.
 
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions by assuring their creative, financial, and operational well being. The Arts & Culture Alliance provides leadership and advocacy that establishes and maintains the success of the arts and the cultural environment of greater Knoxville, as well as providing for a strong climate for cultural and economic interaction between the arts and the community as a whole.
www.knoxalliance.com