Friends of Willie Richardson gather to see hat exhibit, share memories
The words bold, colorful and beautiful are stamped in large black letters on a wall with more than a dozen fancy church hats on pedestals below.
The three words are suitable yet lacking in describing the exhibit "Hattitude: Hats from the Hatboxes of Willie Richardson" at Bush Barn Art Center.
Salem Art Association added special extended hours in the wake of Richardson's death. The longtime advocate for racial equality died Jan. 25. She was 74.
'An advocate for us':Salem's long-time voice for racial equality Willie Richardson dies
Friends, acquaintances and others who knew Richardson by reputation only trickled Tuesday evening through the exhibit in A.N. Bush Gallery. It features nearly 100 of Richardson's hats, or "crowns," once considered an essential Sunday accessory and often a staple of her fashion. They made up about a third of her collection.
She didn't like the word collection because she wore all her hats.
Richardson's love of hats comes from her southern roots, with her grandmother, mother, aunts and the women of a small Baptist church showing the way. A bedazzled pink hat and matching high-heel shoes belonging to her mother are in a case with a photograph of her mom in the hat.
The words of Richardson are posted throughout the gallery, such as: "These beauties are ready to be paired with the perfect outfit."
Nearby, three of her ensembles accessorized from head to toe are displayed, with dresses, handbags, handkerchiefs, gloves and shoes matching the hats. On the other side of the wall are three matching hats and dresses in pastel blue, pink and green she wore on Easter Sundays.
Matthew Boulay, executive director of Salem Art Association, visited with those who stopped in during the extended hours, sharing stories of Richardson's impact on the organization and the community.
"It wasn't intended, but it is like a beautiful living memorial," Boulay told the Statesman Journal earlier in the week. "It's so rare for somebody's life to be captured in this way, and then the timing of her passing, it really is a tribute. It really captures her personality."
The exhibit runs through Feb. 26.
Richardson's memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Trinity Covenant Church, 5020 Liberty Road S. Viewing will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service, 605 Commercial St. SE.
She will be buried in South Carolina, where she was raised and other family members are interred.
In lieu of flowers, the Oregon Black Pioneers and Pioneer Trust Bank's Salem Foundation established a scholarship in Richardson's honor to support college students interested in researching, interpreting and documenting Black history.
Please make checks payable to Willie B. Richardson Scholarship Fund and mail to Oregon Black Pioneers, 2755 Commercial St. SE, Salem, OR 97302.
Capi Lynn is the Statesman Journal's news columnist. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6710. Follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Friends of Willie Richardson gather to see hat exhibit, share memories
