COMMUNITY I

Aseries of portraits of members of Pittsfield’s African-Americancommunity are on display in Pittsfield City Hall during the month ofSeptember, in collaboration with the publication of the book, AfricanAmerican Heritage in the Upper Housatonic Valley, a companion guide tothe Upper Housatonic Valley African-American Heritage Trail.

The photographs, by Pittsfield photographer Ernie Kirk, include portraits of Reverend & Mrs. Willard Durant, Mildred Persip and her sister Frances Duval, a group portrait of the Women of Color Giving Circle, a grassroots philanthropic group in Pittsfield, and others. The portraits are black and white silver gelatin prints developed in Kirk’s darkroom. In addition there will be a set of color photographs taken at this year’s Gather-in’, a traditionally African-American neighborhood festival that has been celebrated in Pittsfield’s West Side neighborhood for over twenty years.

Best known for his black and white portraits of dancers and other performing artists, Mr. Kirk’s photographs are in various private collections in Massachusetts, New York City and other parts of the United States, as well as in Germany, Argentina, Peru and Ireland.

The show will be on display at Pittsfield City Hall, located at 70 Allen Street, from September 5 through September 29. Pittsfield City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4pm.