The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and its Senior Exhibition Partners, including BRIDGES for a Just Community, the Ohio Chapter of the NAACP, and the Urban League of Cincinnati, announced today a collaborative partnership to present an exhibition on the history of lynching in America from the 1870s to the 1960s.
The exhibition, entitled Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America, will be on display from January 19 through May 31, 2010 in the Freedom Center’s Jack H. Skirball Changing Exhibit Gallery. Related educational materials and programs will be available online at www.freedomcenter.org and an extensive series of programs is being scheduled to coincide with the exhibition.
Without Sanctuary was previously shown — to large crowds — in New York City, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, Jackson MS and Atlanta. The exhibition’s centerpiece is a collection of photographs, postcards and memorabilia that were taken at various lynching events in the United States in the early decades of the 20th Century. These images, many of which were made into postcards and sent through the mail, often depicted crowds of onlookers who appear to be celebrating the brutal spectacle. Although the killings were not confined to a period, place, or race, an estimated 5,000 African-Americans died by lynching between 1882 and 1968.
Donald Murphy, the Freedom Center’s CEO and President, said the Freedom Center has three goals in showing Without Sanctuary:
“One is to look back at a violent period of American history, a second is to bear witness to the atrocities that occurred, and our third goal is to keep watch over those without sanctuary today. In looking back, Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America reveals real victims who deserve acknowledgement and honor. By bearing witness, the exhibition provides a good understanding of race in America and should engage the community in a sustainable dialogue about race. And, finally, the exhibition teaches lessons that allow us to remain vigilant and courageous in taking steps for freedom today,” Murphy said.
Robert C. “Chip” Harrod, President and CEO of BRIDGES for a Just Community, said the Freedom Center is the ideal venue to show Without Sanctuary as well as a “safe house” to conduct the ensuing community discussions the exhibition will provoke.
“We realize that dealing with such topics as lynching will create conflicting reactions, perhaps even anger on the part of some, yet this period of history led to the creation of several seminal civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, the National Urban League, and our own BRIDGES for a Just Community — previously the National Conference of Christians and Jews (NCCJ),” Harrod stated. “At a time when genocide continues to plague the world, violent hate crimes are increasing around the country, and a brutal display of a noose is used to harass an African American student right here in our own community, we believe that educating people about this chapter in our history will ultimately result in a better understanding about the past, which will in turn foster a sense of healing and a commitment to protecting basic human rights.”
In preparation for the opening of Without Sanctuary, the Freedom Center has organized a Community Partners Council (CPC) to foster dialogue about the exhibition’s meaning, purpose and messages. To date, the following organizations have joined the CPC:
BRIDGES for a Just Community (Senior Partner)
Greater Cincinnati Urban League
Housing Opportunities Made Equal
Council on American-Islamic Relations
Greater Cincinnati Advocates for Darfur
Cincinnati Art Museum
Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio
Community Healing Circles
Cincinnati Human Relations Commission
Friends of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Edward B. Brueggeman Center for Dialogue, Xavier University
Northern Kentucky University Office of African American Student Affairs
Tentative Partners include:
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Delta Gamma Lambda Chapter
Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education
Jewish Community Relations Council
Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless
League of United Latin American Citizens
Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Cincinnati Enquirer
Council of Christian Communions of Greater Cincinnati
Equality Cincinnati
Boone County Schools
Tags: BRIDGES For A Just Community, civil rights, exhibition, history, lynching, NAACP, photography, Urban League of Cincinnati, Without Sanctuary
Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 11:07 am in Exhibits, Press Releases.
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You fine folks really are doing a
great job! Here in detroit The Last Stop before crossing to Canada
we seem to have dropped the ball as far as acknowledging our history ! The oldest Black church
here (only blocks away from the river!)recieved anew fascade for the superbowl though the roof continues to leak ! The candidate
forums have continued over the years.However,if the Naacp is exist here you’d never know until they have their annual dinner at the convention center that was taken over by an entity outside of detroit!