LYNN — A quick-hitting snowstorm last Saturday forced Lynn Museum to postpone its Black History Story Share event. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This is the first step in gathering historic information for an exhibit this summer: “Untold Stories: A History of Black People in Lynn.” Museum staff invites anyone with a connection to the black community in Lynn to attend, whether they are long-timers or new to the city.
Judith Marshall, education manager, said an interview/videotaping station will be set up to record contributors’ stories and memories. Possible topics of interest might include family, civil rights, work, religion/spirituality, schools, neighborhoods, and society/culture (bars, shops, barbers, hairdressers, dances). A maximum of five photographs or documents per contributor will be scanned, but contributors may bring more photographs to share.
Susan Walker, public engagement coordinator, said the museum has been preserving Lynn’s history since 1897, but about 99 percent of its collection is white. “The complete story of Lynn hasn’t been told yet. We must do our job of telling Lynn’s history, and it’s a diverse story,” she said.
“In addition to using objects and photographs from the museum’s collection, we’re reaching out to the black community. We want to tell the nuanced story of black people in Lynn through their own words, along with the personal photographs and objects they choose to share with us.”
For additional information on the Lynn Black Story Share or you have something to share, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
