Southern University New Orleans News February 23, 2015 Graduate Student Curates Exhibit of SUNO’s African Art Collection When flood waters inundated Southern University at New Orleans in 2005 as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the University’s vast African Art Collection was submerged in putrid water for weeks. As a result, 573 of the 894 artifacts needed stabilization and/or conservation treatment in order to be “exhibit ready.” Starting this week, select works from the University’s African Art Collection will be on display in SUNO’s Leonard S. Washington Memorial Library as part of “Celebrating a Legacy,” an exhibit curated by MA Museum Studies student Erika N. Witt. An opening reception is scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 24 in the Library from 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by the MA Museum Studies Program, the Center for African and African American Studies and the Leonard S. Washington Memorial Library, the exhibit will feature spirit pieces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, textiles, drums, slit gongs, weaponry, masks, door posts and pottery representing the African continent. The mediums consist of wood, fibers and metals. Witt, who has a bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies from Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., expects to receive her Master’s degree in Museum Studies from SUNO in May. She has been working on the exhibit, which is her thesis project, for about year. Once she has her graduate degree, she hopes to become a curator, Egyptologist or an African Art historian. The SUNO African Art Collection has given her a great place to start. “I want people to know about and be proud of this collection,” Witt said. “I want people to be proud of our ancestry. Let’s celebrate those people who came against their will to build this country. Let’s celebrate SUNO for having this collection. It’s something to celebrate.” 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 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree 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.