Art Center+ featuring Judges Romonda D. Belcher and Odell McGhee

Event Details

Celebrating Black History programming was developed in partnership with Urban Dreams.

Join community members for an evening featuring two of Des Moines’ distinguished luminaries, Judges Romonda D. Belcher and Odell McGhee. Judge Belcher will begin the evening with her one-woman vignette on Gertrude Rush, one of the founders of the National Bar Association who is also credited with writing the popular Sunday school song “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”

Guests will then have the opportunity to screen the film A Monumental Journey (27 minutes), which explores the founding, impact, and legacy of the National Bar Association and the creation of a public sculpture of the same name by artist Kerry James Marshall that honors the 12 Black lawyers who met in Des Moines to push back against a society trying to suppress their legal work. Judge Odell McGhee will introduce the film and both Judges McGhee and Belcher will participate in Q &A after the screening.

A Monumental Journey documentary film is shared in partnership with Iowa PBS, Plymouth Congregational Church, Corinthian Baptist Church, and Hope+Elim.

5-5:15 I Vignette by Judge Belcher
5:30-6:15 I Film screening and Q & A

Art Center+ programming throughout February proudly invites you to support Black’d Out Books, a community project led by artist Cameron Gray. The Art Center will serve as a collection site on an ongoing basis. Donate books written by Black authors for Free Black Libraries throughout Ames and Des Moines. Bring your book donation to Art Center+ events and learn more about the project by following Gray on Instagram @cam_gogh.