Nevada City—February 28, 2025. Nevada County Arts Council invites local communities to three upcoming events continuing the discussion of We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California, the current exhibition under Art in Public Spaces, presented in partnership with the County of Nevada, currently on display at the Eric Rood Center.
We Are Not Strangers Here is the result of a local partnership between Exhibit Envoy and Nevada County Arts Council, Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District, the County of Nevada, Nevada County Historical Society and the Nevada County Historical Commission. The exhibition highlights the unknown and untold stories of Black farmers, ranchers and rural residents throughout rural California, with a special focus on local history. These stories challenge myths about early California and create new narratives about freedom, self-governance, and civic culture.
To accompany the exhibition, Nevada County Arts Council and partners have programmed three events to bring further awareness and discussion to our shared regional and local histories.
Albert Johnson and his Namesake, Johnson Canyon–Presentation & Panel Discussion
- Tuesday, March 11th | 5-7pm
- The Eric Rood Center | 950 Maidu Ave, Nevada City
Facilitated by Teresa Baker, founder of In Solidarity Project and co-director of the Outdoor Diversity Alliance, this presentation and panel will discuss the historic renaming of Johnson Canyon in 2022 by the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the man it is named for, Albert Johnson. By reclaiming history and telling the stories of the individuals who’ve shaped our communities, the panel will discuss how renaming projects help to increase visibility for BIPOC voices in outdoor and recreation spaces. Joined by Communications Director of the Truckee Donner Land Trust, Greyson Howard, Chaun Mortier of the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and Linda Jack of the Nevada County Historical Society, the group will explore how renaming landmarks and other historical places helps to reclaim the narrative of public spaces. This will be an informative and fun event for history buffs and outdoor/recreation enthusiasts alike.
Susan D. Anderson Curatorial Talk–with Linda Jack of Nevada County Historical Society
- Thursday, March 20th | 7-9pm
- Sierra Presbyterian Church | 175 Ridge Rd, Nevada City
In association with the exhibition, We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California, California African American Museum History Curator Susan D. Anderson will provide an overview of her research about California’s hidden African American past. She will speak about contributions by Black Californians to the state’s agricultural and mining heritage, and the civic atmosphere in California during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
As an author, curator, speaker, and public historian Anderson has been documenting, teaching, interpreting, and writing about California’s African American past for many years. A fourth generation Californian, she has traveled to every region of the state from the Oregon border to the frontier with Mexico, and from the Mojave Desert to the Mendocino Coast, researching in local archives, and witnessing the diverse sites of the state’s African American history.
Byrds of a Feather, The story of Charlie Byrd, California’s first Black Sheriff from Weed, California–Film Screening with filmmaker Autie Carlisle
- Monday, March 24th | 5-7pm
- The Eric Rood Center | 950 Maidu Ave, Nevada City
A free event showing a 34-minute documentary about Charlie Byrd, California’s first Black Sheriff from Weed, California, and discussing ideas of belonging through personal storytelling with filmmaker, Autie Carlisle. Carlisle, an Upstate California Creative Corps grantee, is a self-trained documentary filmmaker from Mount Shasta, California. Through her current docuseries, Shasta Stories – with an emphasis on short profiles that help bring communities together – Carlisle turns her lens towards the voices less represented in Siskiyou County, strengthening empathy and creating awareness.
About Nevada County Arts Council
Nevada County Arts Council is a nonprofit organization designated by the Nevada County Board of Supervisors as the county’s State-Local Partner with the California Arts Council. Nevada County Arts Council is dedicated to providing education, professional development and access to arts and cultural experiences for the residents of and visitors to Nevada County. For more information visit nevadacountyarts.org.
About Exhibit Envoy
Exhibit Envoy provides traveling exhibitions and professional services to museums throughout California. Exhibit Envoy’s mission is to build new perspectives among Californians, create innovative exhibitions and solutions, and advance institutions in service to their communities. For more information, contact Amy Cohen at Exhibit Envoy 415.525.1553 / info@exhibitenvoy.org, and visit exhibitenvoy.org.