There is still time to catch the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC)’s exhibit Negative Women: Four Photographers Questioning Boundaries, curated by Christopher Blay, HMAAC’s Chief Curator. The exhibition will be on view until January 21, 2023.

Negative Women: Four Photographers Questioning Boundaries features the works of national and international women photographers pushing against accepted narratives, and telling complete histories. Letitia Huckaby’s focus on Africatown and the last slaving vessel to reach the shores of America, The Clotilda, Tanya Habjouqa’s resonant images of Afro-Palestinians, Mari Hernandez’s poignant narratives around boundaries of gender and history, and Ciara Elle Bryant’s deep dive into and across the boundaries of Black culture in the new millennium and in our communities, all combine to reflect and reveal untold stories and histories.

Another very interesting exhibit is “The Jazz Church of Houston.” The permanent exhibit is an endeavor by artist Tierney Malone to create a temporary institution dedicated to collecting and sharing the story of Houston's musical tribe. While there are museums in Texas dedicated to music, a space does not exist that chronicles the jazz history of Houston. The name “Jazz Church” drew its inspiration from the Church of John Coltrane in San Francisco. Established in 1970, the church uses John Coltrane’s music as an expression of worship. The Jazz Church of Houston is a secular temple that will serve as a communal gathering place for like-minded people to listen, learn and celebrate jazz music and culture in Houston.

The Jazz Church of Houston’s patron saint is Texas tenor legend, Arnett Cobb. He is the standard bearer for all those who came after him. He made Houston his base of operation instead of New York or LA, as many of his contemporaries have done. He mentored the next generation of jazz musicians who followed in his footsteps to New York. He is the model of rugged individualism that often characterizes Texans. He survived many physical challenges to pursue his passion of making music. He was hospitalized for a year from a car accident, and used crutches for the rest of his life. He never let his physical challenges prevent him from playing for audiences around the world.”-Tierney Malone, via jazzchurchhouston.org.

The Stairwell of Memory at the HMAAC is a permanent exhibit that was dedicated on February 19, 2022, with the addition of the portrait of Houstonian Robbie Tolan, “The Survivor.” On December 11, 2021, HMAAC dedicated a portrait of Tolan by artist Cedric Ingram that was added to the ones of Bland and Floyd. The three of them represent our area’s most prominent symbols of police brutality. America is indeed lucky and blessed that one of them survived; a living reminder that justice for black victims of police brutality is so rare as to essentially be non-existent, and that good citizens of all races must be diligent to change our current culture to one of fairness and equity.

HMAAC has a mission to collect, conserve, explore, interpret, and exhibit the material and intellectual culture of African Americans in Houston, the state of Texas, the southwest and the African Diaspora for current and future generations. In fulfilling its mission, HMAAC seeks to invite and engage visitors of every race and background and to inspire children of all ages through discovery-driven learning HMAAC is to be a museum for all people. The mission fits their vision. HMAAC seeks to be a cultural portal through which people share and converge histories and contemporary experiences that acknowledge and expand the African American experience, and from such interactions come together to build a common future.

Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Your support will help ensure the museum sustainability. Text “HMAAC” to 44-321 to donate!

Admission is always free at HMAAC. Their hours of operation are Thursday-Saturday from 11am-6pm.

For more information, visit HMAAC.org