THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES
African American Museum Dallas to host 40th Anniversary Celebration Gala & Auction, Saturday, June 6th
Dallas, TX – April 15, 2015 — This year marks 40 years of fostering development, encouragement, and recognition of visual art forms and historical documents that enhance the lives of African-Americans and the general community in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, the African American Museum of Dallas will host its Annual Gala and Auction on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Held at the luxurious Westin Hotel, the Gala serves as a fundraiser to maintain and expand the Museum and its offerings to education through significant programs, workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and other educational services. These programs facilitate awareness and understanding of African American history and culture.
The evening will begin with a cocktail reception where guests will have a chance to mingle or bid in the silent auction. The cocktail reception will be followed by a seated dinner in the Grande Ballroom, a live auction, and an evening of dancing to the captivating sounds of the David Whiteman Band.
The 40th Anniversary Gala will be chaired by State Representative Helen Giddings. Representative Giddings is presently serving her tenth term in the Texas House of Representatives. With a profound interest in the arts, she has served on many boards including: the African American Museum, Dallas Symphony Board, Dallas Summer Musicals, Dallas Historical Society and the Dallas Theater Center. Her contributions to the African American Museum led to a room being named in her honor. The Next Generation Co-Chairs for the Gala are LaTisha Brandon, President of the Junior Associates of the African American Museum, and Kinshara Burkes, Vice President of the Junior Associates of the African American Museum.
The prestigious Heritage Award will be presented to, Richard Knight, former Dallas City Manager for his unyielding support of the Museum. The Heritage Award is The Museum’s highest award which is given occasionally to individuals or organizations that have given extraordinary service to the African American Museum specifically and the cultural community, in general.
“The funds raised from The Fundraising Gala & Auction directly support the Museum’s Science and Art Summer Camp, special exhibitions and day-to-day operations of the Museum. The signature exhibition for the celebration is – Bayou Sculptors: Call and Response. Since its inception the Museum’s eight-week summer camp and other programs for youth has benefited more than 50,000 disadvantaged youth from the immediate area of South and West Dallas,” said Dr. Harry Robinson, Jr, President and CEO of the African American Museum.
About the African American Museum Dallas
The Museum was founded in 1974 as a part of Bishop College and came to life under the vision of Dr. Harry Robinson, Jr., Founding President/CEO. The Museum has operated independently since 1979. For more than 40 years, the African American Museum has stood as a cultural beacon in Dallas and the Southwestern United States.
Located in Dallas’ historic Fair Park, the African American Museum is the only museum in the Southwestern United States devoted to the collection, preservation and display of African American artistic, cultural and historical materials that relate to the African-American experience. The African American Museum incorporates a wide variety of visual art forms and historical documents that portray the African American experience in the United States, Southwest, and Dallas. The Museum has a small, but rich collection of African art, African-American fine art and one of the largest African American folk art collections in the United States.
Season sponsors of the African American Museum include: CBS11 KTVT, Energy Future Holdings, H. Kay and Kenneth B. Jarvis Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Locke Lord LLP, Oncor, ExxonMobil, State Fair of Texas, Friendship West Baptist Church, Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Baylor Scott & White Health, The Eugene McDermott Foundation, UT Dallas, and Trammell S. Crow.
For more information on how to purchase tickets or to become a sponsor visit www.aamdallas.org or contact Jane Jones at (214) 565-9026, ext. 328 or via email jjones@aamdallas.org.
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