Open June 11 – August 27
Hastings Museum is hosting Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity and Stereotypes in Thrift Store Donations as part of our America 250 celebration. Using objects and images, the exhibits poses questions to explore social concepts and bring about discussion of our contemporary culture.
Every day thrift stores across America receive donations of items that display racist imagery – antique advertising cards, collectible salt-and-pepper shakers, vintage children’s books, coffee mugs, sports team swag with mascots, and household items. The stores, and the charitable organizations they support, benefit from the sale of these objects. Sorting Out Race arose out of a desire to divert artifacts with racist content from the resale market, to a public exhibition that generates a healthy community conversation about racial stereotypes; to heighten awareness of our continuing struggles with race.
Sorting Out Race is a unique collaboration between Kauffman Museum at Bethel College, N. Newton, Kansas and the Et Cetera Shop in Newton, Kansas, and Guest Curator, Leia Lawrence.
