African American Art, Social Justice and Identity

Works by Black Artists from the NEHMA Collection

August 25, 2020 - December 4, 2021

African American Art, Social Justice and Identity addresses Black identity in the United States through works of art by ten African American artists and ephemera from collectives including the Black Panthers, spanning 1887-1989. Sourced from the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art collection, these artworks provide compelling visual form to racism, discrimination, and inequity.

Civil unrest, Black Lives Matter and the killing of George Floyd have precipitated an unprecedented examination of systemic racism in this country. Institutions, including museums, are examining their own predispositions for suppression of racial minorities. In response, NEHMA is also looking internally and in particular evaluating its collection in terms of the representation of art by racial minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ artists.