Into Africa in Amherst, named after a germ-warfare pioneer

Wooden sculptures by Ere Ibeji, of Yoruba, Nigeria,  in the show ''5 Takes on African Art/42 Flags by Fred Wilson,''  through April 29 at the University Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

This consists of African art drawn from the collection of Charles Derby, a UMass alumnus who has been collecting since the 1970s. Surrounding them are "Flags of Africa,'' by the African-American artist Fred Wilson. 

Amherst is named for Lord Jeffrey Amherst, the British commander in the French and Indian War, of the 1760s, in which he led a germ-warfare campaign against the Native American allies of the French. The Brits got blankets infected with smallpox into tribal communities, killing many people.

In 2016,  beautiful Amherst College (named for the town it's in, not for Lord Jeffrey) dropped its "Lord Jeffrey" mascot at the demand of students at  that elite college, and it will rename the college's snazzy Lord Jeffrey Inn.

Progressive  and arty Hampshire College is also in Amherst. The Connecticut River goes through a long valley of colleges.

College Row at Amherst College.