The Only One Exhibit

Thursday, January 19, 2012; 5:30 PM
Johnson County Historical Society

On January 19, 2012 the Johnson County Historical Society will open a new temporary exhibit The Only One. The Johnson County Historical Society and the African American Museum of Iowa are collaborating on this exhibit, which focuses on the experience of being a minority in Iowa through the use of photographs and oral histories.
Iowa's historically low population of ethnic minorities is gradually changing, but the population demographics of ethnic minorities only recently passed 10%, and the African American population has yet to surpass 2%. The exhibit includes pictures, artifacts and personal stories from local and statewide sources. Historical information provides the background for the exploration of photographs and first person narrative on life in Iowa as an African American from the 19th century to present day.
A large part of the exhibit was the collection of oral histories. Interviews were conducted with individuals who shared their stories of struggle and success in the face of adversity. To date, 35 oral histories have been completed as a part of this project. This exhibit will feature video of several of these oral history interviews, as well as providing a place for visitors to share their own stories.
The Only One will have an opening reception at the Johnson County Historical Society on January 19th at 5:30 pm, and is free and open to the public. The exhibit will run through December 31, 2012. At the African American Museum of Iowa, the exhibit will open on January 14.
This project is funded in-part by Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.