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Gathering Stories: Black Experiences in the Adirondacks

February 18, 2026 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm EST

Join us for a hybrid session to learn about the importance of the Black archive and how you can contribute to the collection for The Black Experience in the Adirondacks, a 2027 new permanent, interactive exhibition at the Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. Curator Charles Clark III will be at the Sanctuary to present about how your objects help to tell the full story of Black life in the Adirondacks. Join us in person or over zoom, link will be set out with registration.

In preparation for a landmark exhibition opening in 2027 on The Black Experience in the Adirondacks, the Adirondack Experience is hosting collecting events around New York State, including at The Sanctuary for Independent Media on February 18 & 28. The hybrid event on February 18th will be an opportunity to learn about the collection from curator Charles Clark III as well as a drop-off event for folks with physical contributions. February 28th is the event Frederick Douglass and the Power of the Black Archive: A Community Reading of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” and Collecting Black Experiences in the Adirondacks.

Your objects tell the full story of Black life in the Adirondacks. The Black Experience in the Adirondacks is seeking a wide range of materials, including photographs, souvenirs, letters, postcards, recipes, clothing, and video clips from the Adirondacks. Any object or memory that holds a piece of the story is a vital piece of this history. Help your story be told by being a part of this upcoming exhibit!

Can’t make it but have something to contribute? Fill out this online form.

Commemorative Metal:
Roland Brown Sr. received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service in WW II. On June 25, 2011, Dr. Roland M. Brown, Jr. donated his father’s medal to the Adirondack Experience.

The Closet: In 1957, a 17 year old Fulton Fryar was the first African-American to sing at the Seagle Music Colony. Today, the Adirondack Experience exhibits his segregated housing as a historical reminder of racial inequality in the Adirondacks during the 50s.

Lake George Study: This landscape painting by Takeyce Walter is an example of a style of painting called en plein air. Takeyce’s work is currently on display in the Artists & Inspiration in the Wild exhibit

Charles Clark III, curator of The Black Experience in the Adirondacks
Charles employs a Pan-Africanist methodology, enriched by material cultural approach, to transform exhibition making in museums. His work addresses ethno cultural erasure and brings to light marginalized narratives within art history. His approach not only enhances the representation of diverse voices but also redefines the role of museums as spaces for critical dialogue and cultural exploration.