The Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center opened its second major exhibition, These Walls Speak, on Oct. 17, 2026. The show brings together 55 paintings, sculptures and other works spanning nine decades of Black creativity, drawn from the private collections of over 20 North Texas collectors.
According to the Fort Worth Report, the exhibition features pieces by 46 artists and was compiled entirely by the museum itself – a first for the young institution. Curators Andrew Walker, former director of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and Arlene Barnett juried the artworks inside collectors’ homes before selecting the final display.
Among the lenders, Fort Worth attorney Renee Higginbotham Brooks contributed four paintings by John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Frank Frazier and Jacob Lawrence. Brooks told the Fort Worth Report, “I consider it a great honor to have the opportunity to participate with others in the exposition of significant African artists and their works, which are a very important part of American culture.” Other named lenders include Sundance Square owners Sasha and Edward P. Bass, Tarrant Regional Water District president Leah King, council member Deborah Peoples, and former Community Arts Center director Marla Owen.
Museum board president John L. Barnett Jr. said the exhibition highlights the “diverse pool of locals dedicated to acquiring African American art” and is intended to inspire others to collect Black art before the market catches up. Walker added that the collectors view Black creativity as “a mortar of community expression,” sometimes personal, sometimes a form of social action.
The museum, located at 3100 E. Rosedale St. (earlier reports listed the address as 3104 E. Rosedale St.), is currently staffed by volunteers, resulting in limited hours. It will be open 10 a.m.–3 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 31, noon–5 p.m. on Nov. 13, and noon–6 p.m. on Nov. 14, 21 and 28. Open hours otherwise vary, and the board is searching for a part‑time executive director.
Visitors can also see works by local artists such as Sedrick Huckaby, whose piece “Funeral Procession #1” (owned by collector Maryellen Hicks) is on display, as well as pieces by Evita Tezeno and Kehinde Wiley, the portraitist of former President Barack Obama.
What’s next: These Walls Speak will remain on view through Jan. 17, 2027. The museum hopes the exhibition will encourage further private lending and support for African American art in the region, while it continues its search for a permanent executive director.
Sources: fortworthreport.org, hoodline.com
