SUMAS : Southern University Museum of Art Shreveport, a center for display of African sculpture, masks, fabrics and additional art

The mission of the Southern University Museum of Art at Shreveport (SUMAS) is to assure that the art, artifacts, and other treasured works of Africans, African-Americans and their descendants are accessible to the community in an organized and cherished collection, in a place of historic significance on the campus of Southern University at Shreveport.


African Art: SUMAS features African art from the major art-producing regions of Africa including: Mali, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast of West Africa, Cameroon, and the Congo.

The African art exhibit is comprised of two major collections: The Southern University System President Dr. Leon R. Tarver, II Collection and the Dr. William Bertrand Collection.

The two include over 300 artifacts and represent the foundation of the museum's permanent collection of African art.

The African art collections include: ceremonial masks, statues, fabric, utensils, and a variety of other functional artifacts. The current exhibit features a "Gbekre Monkey Figure" from the Baoule people of the Ivory Coast, an Ekoi Head Crest with two braided horns, a clay Boli (four-legged buffalo) from the Bamana people of Mali, and jewelry from the Bertrand Collection of artifacts from the Congo. Each artifact is unique and has a functional use in the culture of the country of its origin.

African-American Art: The Museum features African-American art from the permanent collection of the Southern University Museum of Art in Baton Rouge.

Hours

* SUMAS is located at 610 Texas Street on the first floor of the SUSLA Metro Center in downtown Shreveport.
* Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m until 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m until 4 p.m.
* Admission is free.