The 1st Annual “Keepers of Culture” Reception

Saturday, February 10, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 pm

Location: San Diego History Center
Tickets: FREE

Celebrate Black History Month at a Reception Honoring Professor Chuck Ambers, Harold K. Brown, The Kimbrough Family and Dr. Willie Morrow!

Join the San Diego History Center, San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art for the 1st annual “Keepers of the Culture”! This event will be a yearly celebration of Black Heritage and the individuals who have dedicated themselves to making sure African American culture continues to have a meaningful presence in San Diego!

Of special note is the panel discussion with the honorees moderated by Denise Rogers, Ph.D., Professor of Art History at San Diego Mesa College. The panel will discuss the importance of preserving African American culture in San Diego and beyond.

THE DISTINGUISHED HONOREES INCLUDE:

Professor Chuck Ambers, founder of the African Museum Casa del Rey Moro, which is located in Old Town and has been in existence almost 20 years. Ambers is the Executive Educational Curator, has said he started the museum “to ensure that every visitor knows the significant contributions Africans have made throughout history.”

Harold K. Brown is the first African-American Administrator at San Diego State University (SDSU). While at SDSU, Brown started a program that became the Center for Community Economic Development. Because of his advocacy and the donation of his own personal papers, the SDSU Library established the Harold K. Brown Civil Rights and African American Experience Collection. The collection documents Brown’s participation in the local Civil Rights Movement, his dedication to community economic development, and his professional life, with a heavy emphasis on the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Brown’s role and his role in the School Integration Task Force.

The late Dr. Jack Kimbrough, was San Diego’s first African American dentist when he arrived in San Diego in 1935. His roots are steeped in San Diego’s Civil Rights history having founded the San Diego Urban League as well as serving as an early president of the local NAACP. Jack and his wife Quincella had a home that was full of African-American history. Their extensive library included a collection of antique and contemporary books by black Americans. African masks and tribal artifacts graced the walls of their home making it a cultural gathering place for African Americans and others interested in art and great conversation. His son and daughters are currently living in Los Angeles and have continued in the legacy of their parents operating a Zambezi Bazaar in historic Leimert Park and conducting lectures on African and African American culture.

Dr. Willie Morrow is an inventor, barber, historian, and entrepreneur. His collection of antique barber tools and his extensive hair care creations are only a slice of his brilliance. Dr. Morrow created the modern day Afro pick and in 1959 was hired by the United States military to go all over the world teaching the military how to treat and cut black hair. In the late 1980’s, armed with actual experience and extensive historical knowledge Willie Morrow created a video and later an exhibit entitled “The History and the Hair Story: 400 Years Without a Comb.”

This is a truly unique event and we look forward to seeing you there!