From sjArts NewsCalendar, November, 2005 ..... sjArts > Spotlight Art and history at African- American museumRalph Hunter has had a successful life. He owned a chain of 11 retail shops — A Shop Called East and Ginza — in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.But the 67-year-old isn’t ready for a leisurely retirement. Hunter is now pouring his energy into another passion: SJ’s only African American Heritage Museum, a nonprofit endeavor he launched in 2002. “We want to show the positive [impact] of African Americans on our society,” says Hunter. “It’s up to the museums to tell these stories.” And tell he does. Hunter and his docents regale visitors with background about the museum’s displays. For instance, a quaint 1871 painting depicts the Fisk Jubilee Singers on a European tour. The group earned enough money (equal to $3 million today) overseas that its members were able to found Fisk University in Tennessee. The museum also displays eight historic portraits that Hunter unearthed from an Atlantic City crawlspace. Made in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, the charcoal works are thought to depict the Pettijohn family. The well-dressed subjects are a striking reminder of African-Americans’ contributions to the establishment of Atlantic City and other towns acoss America. The museum owns over 6,000 artifacts, documents, and pieces of art — about half of which Hunter has collected himself since the 1970s. The venue also hosts a series of exhibits highlighting black artists from across the state. The current show — titled “African American Jersey Girls” — features five female artists. A display of more than 100 postage stamps featuring black citizens, and related posters, will start in January. Hunter wants to give African-American artists the exposure they need to boost their careers. “We’re a stepping stone [for them],” he says. The pieces in the current show vary greatly, from contemporary to traditional, portraits to landscapes, oil paintings to pencil drawings. One artist is a promising 17-year-old; another is an established 70-something. The museum reminds Hunter of two key women in his own life: his mom and grandmother, who were both domestics. “A lot of this really hits home,” he says. The museum is in the Martin Luther King Center, 661 Jackson Road, Newtonville, Atlantic County. Hours: Tue thru Sat from 10a to 4p. Free admission; donations are encouraged. Info: 609-704-7262 [Photo] "Blues Quilt" is part of an exhibit at the African American Heritage Museum thru Dec 30. Shown clockwise from top: Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Billie Holiday.
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