We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California
Exhibition: January 31 - April 18, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 6th at 4:30pm
Where: The Eric Rood Administrative Center - 950 Maidu Ave, Nevada City
Upcoming Exhibition Explores the Histories of African Americans in Rural California
Nevada County is no stranger to the history of the Gold Rush, playing a pivotal role in events that shaped our communities, California and our nation. Yet oftentimes the stories of those who toiled to make these histories were not the victors or the beneficiaries of their efforts, their names have all but been lost to time.
Nevada County Arts Council invites the community to the Opening Reception for the latest installation in the Art in Public Spaces program on Thursday, February 6 at 4:30pm. In partnership with the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District, the County of Nevada, Exhibit Envoy, Nevada County Historical Society and the Nevada County Historical Commission, they are proud to bring the traveling exhibition We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California to the Eric Rood Administrative Center from January 31 to April 18. This exhibition highlights the unknown and untold stories of black farmers, ranchers and rural residents. These stories challenge myths about early California and create new narratives about freedom, self-governance, and civic culture.
While it is widely recognized that many Black people who migrated to California moved into booming cities, African Americans are not strangers to rural California. Rural Black residents opened schools, worked the land, and exercised vigilance about the equal rights of citizens. Over successive migrations in the 19th- and 20th-centuries, generations settled in agricultural and rural areas from as far north as Siskiyou County, to the Central Valley, to the Imperial Valley in the South. The traveling exhibition by Exhibit Envoy features these stories and Nevada County Arts Council has collaborated with the Historical Society and the Historical Commission to shine a light on figures from the local community.
We Are Not Strangers Here is a collaboration between the Cal Ag Roots Project at the California Institute for Rural Studies; Susan Anderson of the California African American Museum; the California Historical Society; Exhibit Envoy; and Dr. Caroline Collins from UC San Diego. This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the 11th Hour Project at the Schmidt Family Foundation.
The exhibition is accompanied by a 6-episode podcast mini-series from Cal Ag Roots and is available on Soundcloud and Apple Music. Art in Public Spaces Coordinator, Hannah Mosby, recommends giving it a listen before you attend and again while looking at the installation. Additional related programming throughout the duration of the exhibition includes the Nevada County Historical Society to host We Are Not Strangers Here curator, Susan Anderson, for a talk at Sierra Presbyterian on March 20th at 7:00pm. There will also be a film screening from Upstate California Creative Corps grantee Autie Carlisle whose work focuses on the untold stories of Northern California residents, a panel discussion and presentation. Keep an eye out for more information about upcoming dates and venues for these events.
The Art in Public Spaces program has been championed by District 1 Supervisor, Heidi Hall. Says Hall: “The arts are central to Nevada County’s identity, culture, and economy. This partnership gives us the opportunity to showcase the incredible creators in our community while inviting new audiences into public buildings.”
“We’re so grateful to the Nevada County Arts Council for bringing their expertise and art community connections to this project,” said Hall.
Exhibitions are curated by the Nevada County Arts Council, a nonprofit organization designated by the Nevada County Board of Supervisors as the County’s state-local partner with the California Arts Council. Nevada County Arts Council is dedicated to providing education, professional development and access to arts and cultural experiences for the residents of and visitors to Nevada County. For more information visit www.nevadacountyarts.org.
About Exhibit Envoy
Exhibit Envoy provides traveling exhibitions and professional services to museums throughout California. Exhibit Envoy’s mission is to build new perspectives among Californians, create innovative exhibitions and solutions, and advance institutions in service to their communities. For more information, visit www.exhibitenvoy.org.