Historic African-American photos shown in library
Former Smithsonian curator delivers talk, "Reflections in Black," on April 8 in Diers Recital Hall
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John Johnson was an African American photographer in Nebraska during the early 20th century. His photos, including the one here, offer a glimpse into the range of black life in America. |
Recovered Views: African-American Portraits, 1912–1925, presents 40 black-and-white photographs from John Johnson, an African-American photographer who lived and worked in Lincoln, Neb., in the early part of the 20th century. The exhibit, appearing March 31 to April 25 within the Reed Library on the Fredonia campus, is free and open to the public.
The public is also invited to the exhibit’s featured reception on April 8. Deborah Willis, professor, photographer, author, and former Curator of Exhibitions at the Smithsonian’s Center for African American History and Culture, will deliver a lecture entitled “Reflections in Black,” at 5:00 p.m. in Diers Recital Hall.
This comprehensive look at African-American photographers will highlight the diverse range of black experience, overturning many common ideas about black life. The presentation is also free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.
These portraits are more than just stunning images; they document life in a vibrant black community in a small Midwestern city, a society rarely depicted in any medium. However, the story of how these photographs came to light is almost as fascinating as the images themselves. In the spring of 1999, local researchers learned of a group of glass-plate negatives held by a prominent black family in Lincoln. It was immediately obvious from both the negatives’ unique subject matter and their exceptional artistic quality that this was an important find. Local and national publicity led to another huge cache of negatives by the same artist. Over 300 negatives have surfaced to date.
Johnson was unquestionably skilled, as a thorough understanding of pictorial composition is evident throughout the exhibition. The photographs give evidence of his striking ability to make his subjects feel at ease in front of the camera. Despite the great racial tension existing within Lincoln during this time, a sense of calm and dignity permeates the subjects. Community elders remember Johnson, a lifelong resident of Lincoln, and his travels through Lincoln by horse and buggy with his camera and tripod, taking photographs.
The 40 prints are digitally printed, high-resolution scans from original prints and glass negatives. Recovered Views offers an opportunity to see selections from one of the most important American artistic and historical discoveries of recent years.
Reed Library hours can be found at www.fredonia.edu/library or by calling 716-673-3184. For more information, contact Associate Professor of History Jennifer Hildebrand at 716-673-3274.
Recovered Views’ curator is John E. Carter, Special Projects Coordinator at the Nebraska State Historical Society in Lincoln. It is organized by the Nebraska State Historical Society and toured by ExhibitsUSA, whose mission is to create access to an array of arts and humanities exhibitions, nurture the development and understanding of diverse art forms and cultures, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities. ExhibitsUSA is a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private, nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. SUNY Fredonia sponsors include the Carnahan-Jackson Humanities Fund, the Convocation Committee, the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, the departments of Visual Arts, African-American Studies, and History, and Reed Library.
ExhibitsUSA is generously supported by the Adair Margo Gallery; Altria Group; James H. Clement, Jr.; ConocoPhillips; the Cooper Foundation; Douglas County Bank/Ross and Marianna Beach; DST Systems; Edward Jones; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; the Helen Jones Foundation; the William T. Kemper Foundation, Commerce Bank, trustee; the Richard P. Kimmel and Laurine Kimmel Charitable Foundation; Land O' Lakes; Mrs. Tom Lea; the National Endowment for the Arts; the National Endowment for the Humanities; SBC Missouri; the Society of North American Goldsmiths; Sonic, America’s Drive-In; Sterling Vineyards; the Summerlee Foundation; the Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust; Valmont Industries; the Woods Charitable Fund; and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
