Jackson State University News March 20, 2012 JSU and Mississippi Museum of Art to host Walter O. Evans Collection of African-American Art Jackson State University has partnered with the Mississippi Museum of Art to host the Walter O. Evans Collection of African-American Art from March 28 through June 24, 2012. The exhibition will feature 40 works by renowned African-American artists spanning a period of 150 years, including works by Jacob Lawrence, one of the country's best-known 20th century African-American painters. Evans, a Georgia art collector, began acquiring art in the 1970s with the purchase of a Jacob Lawrence portfolio of silkscreen prints. Other featured artists include Benny Andrews, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Aaron Douglas, Richard Hunt, William H. Johnson, Lois Mailou Jones, Hughie Lee-Smith, Norman Lewis, Horace Pippin, Charles White and Mississippi-native Sam Gilliam. This exhibition also includes 19th century artists Edward Mitchell Bannister, Robert Scott Duncanson and Mary Edmonia Lewis. The collection will be displayed in the museum's Trustmark Grand Hall and William B. and Isabel R. McCarty Foundation Gallery. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Jackson State University President Carolyn Meyers said hosting the art collection supports the university's mission to inspire and educate. "We hope to engage the community with this important art collection as well as provide a meaningful cultural experience," said Meyers. "The Mississippi Museum of Art is an exceptional partner in supporting those goals, and we are dedicated to continuing our collaboration well beyond this exhibit." Betsy Bradley, director of the Mississippi Museum of Art, said the museum is pleased to feature artwork from the Evans Collection. "We are very excited about hosting this extraordinary exhibition in collaboration with Jackson State University in celebration of Dr. Meyers' presidential inauguration," Bradley said. "The Evans collection represents an incredibly wide range of artwork by many widely known African-American artists. The exhibition further offers the museum an opportunity to strengthen its partnership with Jackson State, as both institutions strive to present quality cultural programs to our community and state." Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State's nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi's Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only public university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with three satellite campuses throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu. ____________________ Pamela Berry-Johnson SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.