UNBOXING RALPH ARMSTRONG: A COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT
THROUGH JANUARY 2023. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

If you were a part of the Black community in Little Rock from 1951 to 2006, there’s a good chance you had your picture taken by Ralph Waldo Armstrong III. Upon first entering the curation of work set up in his honor, you’ll notice a dozen or so formal photographs lining the walls, documenting civic organizations as well as important political and cultural figures like Jesse Jackson, Isaac Hayes and Jerry Jewell, the first Black Arkansas state senator of the 20th century. The real magic of the show, however, resides in the boxes of unidentified photographs that visitors are invited to peruse. Looking at these pictures is like fingering through an old collection of household memories that just happen to be taken by a masterful photographer. In one arresting shot, a family is arranged around a framed photo on a tall stand that depicts a man looking off in the distance. Is he wearing a clerical collar? What happened to him? In another, a young girl playing piano in a luminously white dress is captured from the side and at a low angle so that she takes up most of the frame. Who is she? What was the occasion? I ask these questions out of sheer curiosity, but the exhibit is designed to have the viewer aid with the archival process. Bring your relatives when they come to town for the holidays and make sure to fill out a form if they recognize anyone.

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