Councilwoman Hamilton Encourages The Community To View “James Pate’s KKK Series: Kin Killin Kin”

Photo: Louisville Metro Council

It is a powerful visual art exhibit and its message is a simple one to the young people of every black community in America. The message: youth violence, black on black violence must stop. It is time to talk and find alternatives.

Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) and members of the Louisville Metro Council have brought “James Pate’s KKK Series: Kin Killin Kin” to the Kentucky Center for African American heritage and encourages everyone to view and discuss the exhibit and through the art see the impact violence on is having on young men and children in the community.

It is a free exhibit and suggested for children over the age of twelve. There will be an Opening Reception and Gallery Talk on Friday, September 21st from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

“I first saw this exhibit in Cincinnati. It hit home with me. We know that black on black crime is stealing our future,” says Hamilton. “James Pate through his art shows what is happening on our streets and how senseless violence is taking hold in the Black Community.”

“Kin Killin Kin” is a series of paintings in charcoals and colors that realistically show how violence is impacting young men and children. A stark feature of the works shows African Americans wearing the hoods of the Ku Klux Klan as they execute acts of violence.

James Pate is a contemporary visual artist whose works have been displayed in the J.B. Speed Museum in Louisville, The Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, and The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

He explains, as part of the exhibit, his reason for creating “Kin Killin Kin” which he began drawing in 2000.

“I decided as a personal private protest I would continue to compose a rendering as long as these insidious acts continue. The concept of visually comparing Black on Black terrorism to the Ku Klux Klan terrorism came directly from conversations among the black community. It is often said that we, African Americans, in a strange fruit kind of way, are doing the business of the KKK with our Black on Black violence.”

Joining Councilwoman Hamilton in bringing this exhibit to the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage Center are Council Members Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3), Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Jessica Green (D-1) and President David James (D-6).

Again, the Exhibit is free and open to the public.

There will be an Opening Reception and Gallery Talk on Friday, September 21st from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Councilwoman Hamilton is also moderating a Youth Voices Against Violence Forum on Saturday, November 3rd from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

“I encourage everyone young an old to take advantage of the special exhibit,” says Hamilton. “These striking images will make any one stop and think about what is going on in our city today. All of us need to talk about it and find alternatives to this special kind of violence.”

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is located at 1701 West Muhammad Ali Blvd. To learn more go to www.kcaahc.org. Or you can call 502-583-4100.