University Museum

The mission of the Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport (SUMAS) is to assure that the art, artifacts, and other treasured works of Africans, African-Americans and their descendants are accessible to the community in an organized and cherished collection, in a place of historic significance on the campus of Southern University at Shreveport.

It is the goal of the SUMAS to provide an array of learning experiences to a variety of audiences, and to serve as a resource for diverse communities through the imaginative use of the museum and its collections.

SUMAS is primarily aimed at educating the public about the history of African and African-Americans through the artistic, historical and cultural contributions they have made to the American experience. Also, it is a privilege of SUSLA to offer a glimpse of the culture of Africa via its extensive collection of art and artifacts. 

Collections

African Art

SUMAS features African art from the major art-producing regions of Africa including: Mali, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast of West Africa, Cameroon, and the Congo. The African art exhibit is comprised of two major collections: The Southern University System President Dr. Leon R. Tarver, II Collection and the Dr. William Bertrand Collection. The two include over 300 artifacts and represent the foundation of the museum's permanent collection of African art. The African art collections include: ceremonial masks, statues, fabric, utensils, and a variety of other functional artifacts. The current exhibit features a "Gbekre Monkey Figure" from the Baoule people of the Ivory Coast, an Ekoi Head Crest with two braided horns, a clay Boli (four-legged buffalo) from the Bamana people of Mali, and jewelry from the Bertrand Collection of artifacts from the Congo. Each artifact is unique and has a functional use in the culture of the country of its origin.

African-American Art

The Museum features African-American art from the permanent collection of the Southern University Museum of Art in Baton Rouge. The exhibit features a series of prints by master artists Phoebe Beasley, John Biggers and Howard Smith. Each series of prints illustrates poems by critically acclaimed African American poets. John Biggers' lithographic prints illustrate poems "Our Grandmothers" by the late Dr. Maya Angelou. Phoebe Beasley illustrates poems by Langston Hughes, renowned writer—poet, playwright, novelist, and a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, selected by Maya Angelou. SUMAS also features the works of African sculptor, Fred Ajanogha; Louisiana artists, Walter Washington, Daryl Triplett, Alvin Batiste; and National artists Floyd Kerr, Kennith Humphrey, Eric J. Brown.

Admission is FREE.

Note: Groups are welcome (call for reservations)


Contact Information:

Angelique Feaster Evans
Museum Coordinator
318.670.9631
afeaster@susla.edu

610 Texas Street, Suite 110
Shreveport, LA 71101

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