Sorting Out Race

Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity and Stereotypes in Thrift Store Donations

The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center will open the traveling exhibition “Sorting Out Race: Examining Racial Identity and Stereotypes in Thrift Store Donations” on Thursday, September 3. This exhibition explores controversial themes and displays racially offensive images to stimulate a healthy community conversation about our ongoing struggles with race.

Every day, thrift stores receive items with racial imagery—antique advertising cards, collectible salt-and-pepper shakers, vintage children’s books and mugs with sports team mascots. This exhibit asks whether these items are harmless reminders of past attitudes or perpetuate stereotypes about race.

“Sorting Out Race” arose from a desire to divert items with racial content from thrift stores to an exhibit that would foster a healthy community conversation about racial stereotypes, past and present, to heighten awareness of our ongoing struggles with race.

The Kauffman Museum at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, created this traveling exhibit using items found at thrift shops in Kansas between 2010 and 2015.

The exhibit will close on Friday, October 30. It is located in the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Gallery at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center and the cost to view the exhibit is included in the regular museum admission price at no additional charge.