I Was Here

I Was Here Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from I Was Here, Nonprofit Organization, Lexington, KY.

Through a synthesis of the arts and technology, the project is an invitation to examine our history and bring a new understanding to the concept of Nation Building. I Was Here: Reshaping the American Commemorative Landscape

Created by photographing contemporary African Americans as archetypal Ancestor Spirits, the Portraits invoke the Human Family - Man, Woman, Child, Mother, Father, Sister, Brot

her. These emblematic Ancestor Spirits Portraits ask us to examine who we are to each other, who we are as a nation and how we can work to heal the wound that enslavement created in our citizenship. The project is a synthesis of history, image, geography, and soundscape creating an opportunity for citizens of all ages to come face to face and heart to heart with a spiritual history rarely, if ever, encountered on the streets of America.

06/20/2026

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06/20/2026

Tomorrow, we gather.Join us for I Am a Descendant of Nation Builders, a Juneteenth program created in partnership with O...
06/19/2026

Tomorrow, we gather.

Join us for I Am a Descendant of Nation Builders, a Juneteenth program created in partnership with Operation Be You.

Through youth presentations, storytelling, and community dialogue, we’ll reflect on ancestry, identity, and the generations whose labor, creativity, and vision helped shape our nation.

The Melroy
144 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY
June 19
1:00 PM

We hope you’ll join us.

A lot is happening this weekend, and we hope you’ll join us.Venue Update: I Am a Descendant of Nation Builders on June 1...
06/17/2026

A lot is happening this weekend, and we hope you’ll join us.

Venue Update: I Am a Descendant of Nation Builders on June 19 will now take place at The Melroy (144 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY) beginning at 1:00 PM.

Created in partnership with Operation Be You, this Juneteenth gathering will feature youth presentations, storytelling, community dialogue, and the I Was Here Nationwide experience.

We’re also excited to welcome Richard Pelzer of HarlemCLX and the Harlem Fine Arts Show to Lexington. During his visit, The Melroy will host an exhibition featuring the work of artist Mello Dixon beginning June 18, with additional programming taking place throughout the weekend.

We look forward to gathering in community and celebrating art, culture, history, and connection.

06/16/2026

Rooted & Rising brings together distinguished voices from Harlem, Philadelphia, and Lexington for a conversation on cultural legacy, artistic practice, and the evolving role of art in shaping communities.

We are pleased to present this panel to artists, curators, collectors, and friends of the art, this coming Saturday! It’s sure to be an impactful afternoon of networking and conversations.

By invite only.

06/15/2026

VENUE CHANGE*******
We will be presenting at THE MELROY!! 144 North Broadway.

NEW LOCATION!!!! Operation Be You, Inc. LexArts
06/13/2026

NEW LOCATION!!!! Operation Be You, Inc. LexArts

06/11/2026

Youth thrive when they can see themselves reflected in the story of their nation and believe their voices matter within it. Operation Be You, Inc.

We’re excited to welcome Richard E. Pelzer II and Mello Dixon to Lexington.Richard E. Pelzer II, Co-Founder of HarlemC...
06/11/2026

We’re excited to welcome Richard E. Pelzer II and Mello Dixon to Lexington.

Richard E. Pelzer II, Co-Founder of HarlemCLX and a longtime leader in arts, culture, and community engagement, has spent decades building opportunities for artists and creative partnerships across the country.

Joining him is artist and designer Mello Dixon, founder of Greatness Was When…, whose innovative approach to wearable fine art has been featured at Art Basel, galleries across the United States and internationally, and by some of today’s most recognizable cultural figures.

Together, they’ll be part of a special presentation at The Melroy - an invitation-only panel discussion on June 20 exploring creativity, culture, and community.

We’re honored to help bring this collaboration to Lexington and look forward to the conversations it will inspire.


Address

Lexington, KY
40507

Telephone

+18595547995

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