A City’s Partial History, Through Photographs

WATERBURY — “Say It Loud! Photo Portraits of the North End by Tyrone Williamson,” opening on September 14 at The Mattatuck Museum Art & History Center, will be an exhibition and  programs chronicling the changing times of the 1960s and 70s in Waterbury as captured by Mr Williamson, who was a young activist during 1960s when he took the compelling photos on view.

The show will open on Thursday, September 14, with a gallery talk at 5 pm led by Mr Williamson. The show’s formal opening reception will then follow from 5:30 until 7:30 pm.

Additional programs coinciding with the exhibition will continue on September 21 with “Say It Loud… Breaking Down Barriers.” The three-hour event will feature leaders of black community who broke important ground in struggle for equality including Luther Gatling, Waterbury’s first black alderman; school teacher Lilliam Brown; Harry King, the owner of Star Clothing, and others.

Donations will be accepted, and reservations are reservations requested. The program will run from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

On Thursday, October 19, “Common Thread: The Power of The African-American Experience in Waterbury,” will offer a screening of the documentary that tells the story of city’s African-American pioneers, be followed by discussion. This program will begin at 7 pm, donations will be accepted, and reservations are requested.

On Saturday, November 11, “Flintknapping with Argjent Kala and Greg Doolittle” will introduce participants to the process of chipping away stones to create sharp points or tools. The program will begin at 10 am, cost is $5, and reservations are requested.

Mr Kala and Mr Doolittle, students from Central CT State University, have documented the museum’s anthropological and archaeological collection of approximately 2,000 Native American stone implements. The students will offer program on the process of flintknapping, how the resulting tools were used by indigenous people of the region, and also discuss what the museum’s stone tools tell us about Native Americans in the region.

The Mattatuck Museum is at 144 West Main Street in Waterbury. Call 203-753-0381 for admission and operation hours information.