ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • FEBRUARY 20 - 26, 2014 C5 By Melanie Adams Activist’s story included in ‘250 in 250’ exhibit By Devi Acharya, Rachele Banks, Elizabeth Freihaut and Jacob Laseter For The St. Louis American The Missouri History Museum’s Teens Make History Exhibitors are currently working on an oral history project interviewing St. Louis activists involved with civil rights, labor rights and LGBT activism. Through these video interviews, we seek to collect and share the stories behind the movements for change that have shaped St. Louis, as well as allow for a wider discussion of activism and its role today. Activism has long been a prominent part of our city. From the founding members of CORE to today’s labor activists from Jobs with Justice, our city is a hotbed of social and political action. Through our project, we have observed how activism is a complex and vital part of our world today, and we have seen how activism involves many individuals working together toward a common goal. In honor of Black History Month, we would like to highlight our interview with Percy Green II, an activist noted both for his leadership in the fight for civil rights and for using dramatic protests to draw attention to issues. After learning about the white power structure from Eugene Tournour, Percy became devoted to fighting for equality. Initially involved in CORE and the Jefferson Bank boycott, Percy later helped form an organization called ACTION, which used nonviolent direct action protests to bring awareness to inequality. The most noted of these protests occurred in 1964, when Percy and a fellow activist climbed a leg of the Gateway Arch while it was under construction. They wanted black workers involved in the building of this massive public monument. As a result of this protest trying to gain employment for black males, Percy lost his own job at McDonnell-Douglas. Later, Percy sued McDonnell-Douglas, resulting in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case concerning racial discrimination and employment. Percy and ACTION also worked actively against the Veiled Prophet organization, which he views as elitist, sexist and racist. In our oral history interview, Percy frequently discussed the importance of civil disobedience as an activist tactic. He explained to us how climbing the Arch epitomized this tactic: “It’s nonviolent. It’s an eye opener. It’s awakening. You know, it makes people uncomfortable, but it forces people to focus on those particular things that the demonstration is targeting.” Later in the interview, Percy returned again to the theme of civil disobedience, telling us, “It’s far better to engage in civil disobedience and disruption to make change, as has been historically done here, than for this thing to develop to what happens in other countries, where the only option that they have is to become a suicide bomb, to utilize that method as a wake-up call, where you’re hurting a whole bunch of people. You can’t imagine what that would be like. So I think while we have time to bring about change in a nonviolent manner, then we need to do as much as possible to pursue that.” Percy is truly a leader in the activist community. He is not just active in the fight for civil rights; to this day, he continues his legacy of activism by working alongside those who are striving for equal and better rights – from women’s rights to the movement for raising wages for fast food workers. This, we have found, is one of the essential points of activism – working together to improve life for all people, not just one specific group. As Percy stated in his interview, “Still, there’s much more to be done. The issue is not only more and better paying jobs for black males, but females were left out of the picture, disabled people were left out of the picture, the whole gay and lesbian question has become a concern. And so that motivation then developed in broadening my scope as to the need to further initiate the activities and be a part of these types of activities to bring about change in the best interests of humanity.” Percy’s interview about climbing the Arch is one of the stories included in 250 in 250, the Missouri History Museum’s new exhibit celebrating 250 years of St. Louis History. Come and discover 249 more fascinating snapshots of the city’s past in 250 in 250, and stay tuned for next month when we highlight another key activist from our oral history project. Percy Green II speaks St. Louis civil rights activist Percy Green II was interviewed by the Missouri History Museum’s Teens Make History Exhibitors for an oral history project about civil rights, labor rights and LGBT activism. By Kimberly Jacobs, Romare Bearden Graduate Minority Fellow, 2013 - 2014 In celebration of National Women’s History month, the Saint Louis Art Museum presents our fourth annual If It Wasn’t for the Women program. Since 2011 the Art Museum has celebrated the triumphs of women of color with a panel of dynamic artists, scholars, community activists, and humanitarians. This year’s program will highlight the art of storytelling through oral traditions, visual art, and dance. The way we share our cultural history plays a significant role in how we shape our future. African Americans have adapted the oratory tradition of storytelling from those of African ancestors. Throughout history the storytelling tradition has taken different forms such as quilting, folk tales, music, dance, and gospel. Fast forward into the 21 st century, the storytelling tradition continues to thrive and evolve into even more unique forms. In this year’s If It Wasn’t for the Women we welcome two artists, Diane Williams and Aparna Kalyanaraman, who share a common passion for using their talents to carry on distinct variations of storytelling. Every culture has a story to tell, and Aparna Kalyanaraman uniquely incorporates Indian, West African, and Colombian dance in her method of teaching and choreography. Storytelling through dance is a beautifully entertaining way that shares a culture’s history. The purpose of many traditional dances is to reinforce cultural lessons to be learned by all. She will share what fuels her passion for dancing, as well as various cultures’ commonality through dance and storytelling. Aparna Kalyanaraman received a Bachelor’s of Art in Dance and English from Washington University. She shares her love for international dance with the St. Louis community by participating in events such as the Festival of Nations and the 2013 Diversity Dinner at Busch Stadium. Aparna also teaches children dance with Springboard as well as in schools and for neighborhood groups. Diane Williams is an accomplished author and storyteller who ensures through her artistic talents we appreciate the joy and lessons found in parables such as “Annie Mae Jumps the Broom” and in stories from the Underground Railroad. Along with being a celebrated storyteller, Diane Williams is also a fiber artist. Williams uses her storytelling skills to prove how images – in both pictures and threaded into quilts – can guide us to a place of cultural understanding, tolerance, and empathy. She will begin her presentation with a discussion of how African traditions are now, in America, weaved together like Kente cloth. Williams also provides a reflective look at how the designs of Underground Railroad quilts relate to storytelling, as she explores the textile artworks of Harriet Powers, Faith Ringgold, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, and late Gwen Magee. If It wasn’t For the Women sponsored by the Saint Louis Art Museum will be held on Saturday, March 8 th at 10:00 am at the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, 6128 Delmar Blvd. Refreshments will follow the program. This program is free and open to the public. Space is limited so we encourage you to reserve you space by emailing, Kimberly. [email protected] or call 314.655.5373. Art Museum Celebrates Women and their Stories Aparna Kalyanaraman Save the Date for Upcoming Events Thursday, March 27, 6:30pm. The Life and Art of Charles White, lecture by Dr. Andrea Barnwell-Brownlee, Director of Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Saint Louis Art Museum. Saturday, April 12, 10:00am.The Art of Cultivating Roots, Cotton, and Culture in Missouri with artist Robert Ketchens and other panelists. 14 th Street Gallery, 2701 14 th Street. Diane Williams
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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • FEBRUARY 20 - 26, 2014 C5
By Melanie
Adams
Activist’s story
included in ‘250 in
250’ exhibit
By Devi Acharya, Rachele Banks, Elizabeth Freihaut and Jacob LaseterFor The St. Louis American
The Missouri History Museum’s Teens Make History Exhibitors are currently working on an oral history project interviewing St. Louis activists involved with civil rights, labor rights and LGBT activism. Through these video interviews, we seek to collect and share the stories behind the movements for change that have shaped St. Louis, as well as allow for a wider discussion of activism and its role today.
Activism has long been a prominent part of our city. From the founding members of CORE to today’s labor activists from Jobs with Justice, our city is a hotbed of social and political action. Through our project, we have observed how activism is a complex and vital part of our world today, and we have seen how activism involves many individuals working together toward a common goal.
In honor of Black History Month, we would like to highlight our interview with Percy Green II, an activist noted both for his leadership in the fight for civil rights and for using dramatic protests to draw attention to issues.
After learning about the white power structure from Eugene Tournour, Percy became devoted to fighting for equality. Initially involved in CORE and the Jefferson Bank boycott, Percy later helped form an organization called ACTION, which used nonviolent direct action protests to bring awareness to inequality.
The most noted of these protests occurred in 1964, when Percy and a fellow activist climbed a leg of the Gateway Arch while it was under construction. They wanted black workers involved in the building of this massive public monument. As a result of this protest trying to gain employment for black males, Percy lost his own job at McDonnell-Douglas. Later, Percy sued McDonnell-Douglas, resulting in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case concerning racial discrimination and employment.
Percy and ACTION also worked actively against the Veiled Prophet organization, which he views as elitist, sexist and racist.
In our oral history interview, Percy frequently discussed the importance of civil disobedience as an activist tactic. He explained to us how climbing the Arch epitomized this tactic: “It’s nonviolent. It’s an eye opener. It’s awakening. You know, it makes people uncomfortable, but it forces people to focus on those particular things that the demonstration is targeting.”
Later in the interview, Percy returned again to the theme of civil disobedience, telling us, “It’s far better to engage in civil disobedience and disruption to make change, as has been
historically done here, than for this thing to develop to what happens in other countries, where the only option that they have is to become a suicide bomb, to utilize that method as a wake-up call, where you’re hurting a whole bunch of people. You can’t imagine what that would be like. So I think while we have time to bring about change in a nonviolent manner, then we need to do as much as possible to pursue that.”
Percy is truly a leader in the activist community. He is not just active in the fight for civil rights; to this day, he continues his legacy of activism by working alongside those who are striving for equal and better rights – from women’s rights to the movement for raising wages for fast food workers. This, we have found, is one of the essential points of activism – working together to improve life for all people, not just one specific group.
As Percy stated in his interview, “Still, there’s much more to be done. The issue is not only more and better paying jobs for black males, but females were left out of the picture, disabled people were left out of the picture, the whole gay and lesbian question has become a concern. And so that motivation then developed in broadening my scope as to the need to further initiate the activities and be a part of these types of activities to bring about change in the best interests of humanity.”
Percy’s interview about climbing the Arch is one of the stories included in 250 in 250, the Missouri History Museum’s new exhibit celebrating 250 years of St. Louis History. Come and discover 249 more fascinating snapshots of the city’s past in 250 in 250, and stay tuned for next month when we highlight another key activist from our oral history project.
Percy Green II speaks
St. Louis civil rights activist Percy Green II was interviewed by the Missouri History Museum’s Teens Make History Exhibitors for an oral history project about civil rights, labor rights and LGBT activism.
By Kimberly Jacobs, Romare Bearden Graduate Minority Fellow, 2013 - 2014
In celebration of National Women’s History month, the Saint Louis Art Museum presents our fourth annual If It Wasn’t for the Women program. Since 2011 the Art Museum has celebrated the triumphs of women of color with a panel of dynamic artists, scholars, community activists, and humanitarians. This year’s program will highlight the art of storytelling through oral traditions, visual art, and dance.
The way we share our cultural history plays a significant role in how we shape our future. African Americans have adapted the oratory tradition of storytelling from those of African ancestors. Throughout history the storytelling tradition has taken different forms such as quilting, folk tales, music, dance, and gospel. Fast forward into the 21st century, the storytelling tradition continues to thrive and evolve into even more unique forms. In this year’s If It Wasn’t for the Women we welcome two artists, Diane Williams and Aparna Kalyanaraman, who share a common passion for using their talents to carry on distinct variations of storytelling.
Every culture has a story to tell, and Aparna Kalyanaraman uniquely incorporates Indian, West African, and Colombian dance in her method of teaching and choreography. Storytelling through dance is a beautifully entertaining way that shares a culture’s history. The purpose of many traditional dances is to reinforce cultural lessons to be learned by all. She will share what fuels her passion for dancing, as well as various cultures’ commonality through dance and storytelling.
Aparna Kalyanaraman received a Bachelor’s of Art in Dance and English from Washington University. She shares her love for international dance with the St. Louis community by participating in events such as the Festival of Nations and the 2013 Diversity Dinner at Busch Stadium. Aparna also teaches children dance with Springboard as well as in
schools and for neighborhood groups. Diane Williams is an accomplished author
and storyteller who ensures through her artistic talents we appreciate the joy and lessons found in parables such as “Annie Mae Jumps the Broom” and in stories from the Underground Railroad. Along with being a celebrated storyteller, Diane Williams is also a fiber artist. Williams uses her storytelling skills to prove how images – in both pictures and threaded into quilts – can guide us to a place of cultural understanding, tolerance, and empathy. She will begin her presentation with a discussion of how African traditions are now, in America, weaved together like Kente cloth. Williams also provides a reflective look at how the designs of Underground Railroad quilts relate to storytelling, as she explores the textile artworks of Harriet Powers, Faith Ringgold, Carolyn L. Mazloomi, and late Gwen Magee.
If It wasn’t For the Women sponsored by the Saint Louis Art Museum will be held on Saturday, March 8th at 10:00 am at the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, 6128 Delmar Blvd. Refreshments will follow the program. This program is free and open to the public. Space is limited so we encourage you to reserve you space by emailing, [email protected] or call 314.655.5373.
Art Museum Celebrates Women and their Stories
Aparna Kalyanaraman
Save the Date
for Upcoming Events
Thursday, March 27, 6:30pm. The Life and Art of Charles White, lecture by Dr. Andrea Barnwell-Brownlee, Director of Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Saint Louis Art Museum.
Saturday, April 12, 10:00am.The Art of Cultivating Roots, Cotton, and Culture in Missouri with artist Robert Ketchens and other panelists. 14th Street Gallery, 2701 14th Street.
Diane Williams
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