“The Color of Civil War Money” will be examined in a program at Kansas City Kansas Community College Thursday, Feb. 21.
Joe Grasela, a member of the KCKCC Library staff, will examine and analyze the research of African American artist John W. Jones in the program to be held at 11 a.m. in the Intercultural Center on the KCKCC campus at 7250 State Avenue. Open to the public, there is no charge.
“Through his color acrylic paintings, Jones has looked at the vignettes depicted on Confederate money during the Civil War and how the importance of slavery to the economy of the South was reflected in these engravings,” says Grasela.
More than 125 images depicting slavery on Confederate and southern states money have been uncovered.
“The juxtaposition of the framed Confederate currencies with the acrylic paintings inspired by the slave images on the currencies makes a very powerful statement on the contribution of enslaved Africans to the American economy,” notes Grasela. “As Jones said, ‘History informs arts which in turn artfully reveals more history.’“
A few actual Confederate notes from the Civil War and prints of Jones’ work will be on display during the program, which will also include a look at the artist and his art and the economy, history and propaganda of the Civil War.
