News Release

Doll Making Workshop Led by Artist in Residence Marla Jackson

Date: August 7, 2012

Contact: Justin Sochacki
Phone: [phone]

Topeka, KS -Artist in Residence Marla A. Jackson will lead a fabric doll-making workshop beginning at 9 am on Saturday, August 18 at Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. The workshop is free of charge, but the program is limited to 12 participants. Participants must register in advance by calling 785-354-4273. Registration is first come, first served.

Jackson is a nationally recognized quilt artist and also creates fabric dolls. Workshop participants will have an opportunity to work closely with an established local artist. All fabric, polyfill, accessories, and patterns will be provided at the workshop. Participants must provide their own sewing machines and lunches. The workshop will begin at 9 am and conclude in the afternoon. "We are delighted to offer this opportunity for the public to interact with a nationally known artist," said Chief of Interpretation Dave Schafer. "Participants will learn about Marla Jackson's distinctive and colorful style and be inspired to create their own dolls."

One of eight children born to Fern Eaton Crum and Rufus Crum, Jr., originally from Royal Oak Township in Michigan, Ms. Jackson spent many weekends and summers with her paternal grandparents, Rufus and Zelma Crum, and her once enslaved great-grandmother, Lucille Crum. Ms. Jackson's artistic direction was influenced by her family's stories, and her quilts depict scenes and themes that capture the pride, spirit, pain, and joy of the African American experience. Her primary goal with her work is to echo the untold stories of heroes that history has overlooked, forgotten, or hidden.

Artists like Ms. Jackson translate the national park's purpose, as a place that preserves our nation's struggle for equality, into images and projects that bring a deeper understanding of the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education for all who visit. Jackson is the first Artist in Residence for Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site tells the story of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended legal segregation in public schools. The site is located at 1515 SE Monroe Street in Topeka, Kansas, and is open free of charge from 9 am to 5 pm daily, with the exceptions of Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. For more information call [phone] or visit www.nps.gov/brvb and www.facebook.com/brownvboardnps