Reflections in Black
January 12, 2002, through March 10, 2002
Smithsonian African American Photography: Art and Activism
Location
Temporary Exhibitions, Jaffe and Hall Galleries
About
This exhibition explores the rich legacy of African American photographers who captured the struggles, achievements, and tragedies of a tumultuous time: the civil rights and black power movements of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Assuming the role of social activist, these photographers documented leading figures such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Muhammad Ali, as well as innovators in the music world such as Billie Holiday, Lester Young, and John Coltrane. A continuing desire to raise social consciousness motivates contemporary photographers to chronicle the realities of life for African Americans today. Photographs of the 1980s and 1990s, many the results of the artists' personal engagement with their own communities, form the second major focus of the exhibition.
Reflections in Black: Smithsonian African American Photography is organized by the Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, and is circulated by Curatorial Assistance, Los Angeles, California. Its presentation at the Hood Museum of Art is generously supported by the Ray Winfield Smith 1918 Fund.
Exhibition Curator
Dr. Deborah Willis | Juliette Bianco
Additional Information
Related Exhibitions
- Focus on Photography: Works from 1950 to Today
- Witness: Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties
- Still We Rise: Women of Color Existence/Resistance in Contemporary Art
- Text as Image/Image as Text: Narratives of African American History and Identity
- The Power of (Re)Construction: Changing Perceptions of Black-American Identity
Related Stories
- Alumni Voices: Dartmouth in the Civil Rights Era | Three Perspectives
- Alumni Voices: Crishuana Williams '12 | Florian Jenkins and The Life of Malcolm X (1972) at Dartmouth College