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Andrea Begay views the “African American Pioneers of New Mexico” photo collection during the Legacy Gallery grand opening Feb. 13 inside Zollinger Library at The University of New Mexico-��˿������Ƶ.

��˿������Ƶ-��˿������Ƶ debuts Legacy Gallery, celebrates Black History Month

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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Photo collection showcases African American experience in New Mexico

By Richard Reyes, Friday, February 21, 2025

GALLUP, N.M. — The University of New Mexico-��˿������Ƶ recently unveiled its new Legacy Gallery, showcasing its collection of historic photos featuring African Americans in New Mexico.

��˿������Ƶ-��˿������Ƶ’s Zollinger Library and Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion partnered together to host a grand opening for the Legacy Gallery on Feb. 13. Students, faculty, staff and community members were invited to tour the new space, which spotlights the African American experience in the Land of Enchantment from 1776 to 1976.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director LD Lovett said the purpose of the Legacy Gallery is to bring people together to share information as well as to promote conversation and the exchange of ideas among different peoples.

“What I hope would happens at this point is that all during the year, this gallery would be open, and it’s open to anyone,” Lovett said. “What I would also like to see is that as we teach classes and we provide information, we provide it year-round. But it’s not just Black history. It’s for everyone’s history. It’s for America’s history.”

From the basement to the gallery

Lovett said the idea for the Legacy Gallery started about five years ago in collaboration with Dr. Shiame Okunor, a retired ��˿������Ƶ professor who owns the photo collection. The collection is on loan to ��˿������Ƶ-��˿������Ƶ from Okunor.

Chavez noted that the framed photographs used to sit in storage in the library basement except for special events when select images were displayed inside the Ingham Chapman Gallery in Gurley Hall.

Chavez wanted to permanently feature the photos somewhere in the library, so he worked with library staff to identify a corner that previously housed books for teenagers and wasn’t being used much.

The library team then created the Legacy Gallery in that spot. A banner now hangs on the wall to draw attention to the space, so visitors can enjoy the collection throughout the year.

“So, as you can see, that idea that we had that day has become a reality, and behind me is a collection of photographs that help show a history and culture in our great state that many people just aren’t aware of,” Chavez said.

A missing piece of the puzzle

While the photo collection displays the history of African Americans throughout the state, it doesn’t currently have photos of ��˿������Ƶ residents.

During the grand opening, ��˿������Ƶ community organizer and activist Mona Frazier shared that she been doing her own research to learn more about the history of African Americans in ��˿������Ƶ.

Frazier also handed out small historic photos of Black families in ��˿������Ƶ to share with the audience.

Lovett said that once Frazier has compiled more of the missing piece of ��˿������Ƶ’s Black history, he would like to feature it in the Legacy Gallery in the future.

��˿������Ƶ-��˿������Ƶ celebrates Black History Month

Earlier on the same day, ��˿������Ƶ-��˿������Ƶ’s Ingham Chapman Gallery hosted a Jazz & Vintage Typewriters Experience.

Campus community members were invited to view select photos from the Legacy Gallery collection, reflect on Black history using the vintage typewriters from the personal collection of Assistant Professor Andrew McFeaters, and listen to jazz music recordings.

The DEI office is also planning more events to celebrate Black History Month.

��˿������Ƶ-Valencia Chancellor Dr. Samuel Dosumu will deliver a guest presentation on his personal journey at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Gurley Hall 1124 The passcode is 835676.

Then, there will be a Black History Panel Discussion at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27. Panelists include Alfred Dennis Mathewson, an emeritus professor of law and former co-dean of the ��˿������Ƶ School of Law, and Harun Williams, an educator, leadership mentor and advocate for adult learning.

More details about thr panel discussion will be shared later on the

��˿������Ƶ community organizer and activist Mona Frazier, right, hands out small historic photos of Black families in ��˿������Ƶ during the Legacy Gallery grand opening Feb. 13 inside Zollinger Library at The University of New Mexico-��˿������Ƶ.