Photography and poverty: Cleveland History Center's MLK Day exhibits


This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20, Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center will commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate Black history and culture with free admission to all galleries and exhibits, including the exhibits focused on Dr. King, among other events, tours, and special guest appearances.

History in Their Hands: Black Photographers in Cleveland, Ohio, 1968-Present is the inaugural exhibition at the Cleveland History Center’s new African American History Gallery.

Charles J. Pinkney, Self-PortraitCharles J. Pinkney, Self-PortraitThe exhibit features the works of “Cleveland Press” photographer Van Dillard; photojournalist Gina Gayle; and her father, Jimmy Gayle, who was the first Black photographer at the “Cleveland Plain Dealer;” Amanda D. King, photographer, co-founder of Shooting Without Bullets, and LAND studio’s 2018 Inner City Hues project; photographer Mychal Lilly; and painter and photographer Charles J. Pinkney.

Special activities on Monday include displays of visual art by local artists Bonnie Venable and Rodney Carpenter, as well as opportunities to meet the associate curator of “History in Their Hands” and some of the photographers featured in the exhibition.

Solidarity Now!

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. joined the staff of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1967 to launch a Poor People’s Campaign in an effort to address problems facing all Americans living in poverty.

Resurrection City.Resurrection City.Dr. King was assassinated prior to the movement in Washington D.C., but the vision he carried continued. Learn more in the exhibit Solidarity Now! 1968 Poor People's Campaign, which explores one of the most important grassroots movements of the Civil Rights era.

The exhibit investigates the factors that made this movement a success: the ideas, the emotions, the people, and the place—a tent city on the National Mall, known as Resurrection City.

Through a moving combination of photographs, objects, video, and oral histories, Solidarity Now! explores the significance and impact of the campaign that drew thousands of people to develop a protest community on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in order to call the nation's attention to the crippling effects of poverty for millions of Americans.

City of Hope

A unique set of informative posters in City Of Hope: Resurrection City and the 1968 Poor People's Campaign Poster Exhibition will engage and inspire guests as they explore the history and legacy of Poor People’s campaign and its place in U.S. history.

1968 Poor People's Campaign 1968 poster1968 Poor People's Campaign 1968 poster

During the 1960s, the United States emerged as a superpower on the world stage. But at home, poverty prevented access to opportunities for people of every race, age, and region of the country. Although President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a “war on poverty” in 1964, tens of millions of Americans were denied livable wages, adequate housing, nutritious food, quality education, and healthcare.

The grassroots, multiracial Poor People’s Campaign drew thousands of demonstrators, demanding social reforms.

Solidarity Now! and City of Hope Poster exhibits were organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Solidarity Now! is supported by the CVS Health Foundation, a private foundation created by CVS Health to help people live healthier lives.

Details

In addition to the exhibits, rides on the Grand Carousel will be available for $3 each. The WRHS Genealogy Committee will help guests start their family history research.

A free shuttle bus connecting to all University Circle museums will run every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Cleveland History Center, 10825 East Blvd., will be open on Monday, Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with free admission.