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Roots, Rain & Rhythm
Roots, Rain & Rhythm

Roots, Rain & Rhythm (1985–1995): The Sound of Black Seattle

Roots, Rain & Rhythm (1985–1995): The Sound of Black Seattle

Art Exhibition runs February 2 - February 26, 2026

Event Details 
Date: Thursday, February 12 
Time: 5:30 PM 
Location: M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery, Seattle Central College 
Admission: Free and open to the public 
Program Highlights: Immersive exhibition, live youth DJ from Let Them Create, reception 

Seattle Central College invites the community to experience Roots, Rain & Rhythm (1985–1995): The Sound of Black Seattle, an immersive gallery opening at the M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery. The exhibition honors a pivotal decade in Black Seattle’s cultural history—when music, place, and movement converged to shape the city’s creative identity. 

Presented in collaboration with As Many Weirdos As Possible, Seattle Central Student Leadership, and the M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery, the exhibition centers the artists, neighborhoods, and cultural forces that defined Black Seattle between 1985 and 1995. Through sound, visual storytelling, and lived memory, Roots, Rain & Rhythm preserves and amplifies narratives that have too often been left out of dominant cultural histories. 

The opening reception will feature a live youth DJ set from Let Them Create, intentionally bridging generations and highlighting the continuum of Black creative expression—from legacy to future. This intergenerational element underscores the exhibition’s core message: Black Seattle’s cultural impact did not end in the 1990s; it continues to evolve, innovate, and inspire. 

“This exhibition is about more than nostalgia,” organizers shared. “It’s about honoring the roots, recognizing the rain that shaped the movement, and amplifying the rhythm that continues through today’s youth and artists.” 

Guests are invited to engage with the exhibition, the music, and one another in a space grounded in remembrance, celebration, and forward momentum. 

Roots, Rain & Rhythm (1985–1995): The Sound of Black Seattle reflects Seattle Central College’s ongoing commitment to equity-centered programming, cultural preservation, and community storytelling.