Traveling Exhibition

_{Organized by the Miami University Art Museum through a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.}

From the exhibition organizers: “Telling A People’s Story is the first major museum exhibition devoted to the art found within the pages of African-American children’s picture books. The exhibition emphasizes the strength of the illustrations as visual narrative representations of the African-American experience. …This project celebrates the complex and diverse African-American experience through a lens intended for children and young readers. The exhibition offers something for all viewers through the representation of familiar and lesser-known people and the contributions of African Americans to an American identity.”

In this exhibition, African-American children’s illustrated literature becomes the focus featuring art produced for book illustrations. This presentation brings to light the long neglected world of African-American authors and illustrators in the pantheon of children’s literature, while also providing a look into the cultural, historical, and social makeup of African-American cultural identity. Telling A People’s Story addresses:

• The presentation of African-American identity and history in a creative, educational and respectful manner.
• The raising of greater awareness for the role African-American illustrators and authors play in the development and growth of the field of children’s literature.
• The topic of social justice throughout African-American history.
• The need for awareness to the challenges African-American children’s book authors and illustrators face in a field lacking sufficient representation of minorities.
• The importance of appreciating the culture and history of a people who are deeply rooted in the American story.