The “Northern Stars” of Black History Month Shine at Museum

Abolitionists – Historical rendering

By Susan Motander

Every year the Monrovia Historical Museum creates special exhibits for Black History Month. The year the museum is presenting “North Star: Canonizing the American Abolitionists.” This is an exhibit of the collages of Hope Demetriades.
Created on portions of old fences, these collages pay tribute to major figures in the abolitionist movement. Made to resemble old icons, they commemorate the lives of such historical figures as John Brown, Frederick Douglas and Sojourner Truth among others. The details of each piece show the thought put into each piece of art. For example, in the icon in honor of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the artist has used abalone shells as part of the decoration, a pun on the Abolitionist Movement.
The exhibit will be on display again this Sunday from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Museum on Lemon Avenue in Recreation Park, between Mountain and Shamrock. Admission is free, although donations are always welcome.

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