In a time when America is buckling under the pressure of race relations and social justice issues, Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will ignite conversations about the importance of recognizing the contributions of black American men as change agents in U.S. history.
The exhibit, located in the Skirball Gallery, developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and supported by the Ford Motor Company Fund, chronicles the work of revolutionary men such as Kendrick Lamar, Alvin Ailey, James Baldwin, Charles Bolden and Michael Seibel. The featured individuals, from all walks of life, disrupted the status quo in the name of seeking equality for all.
Far too often and for too long, African-American men have been depicted in the media and by society at large in a negative light. Men of Change seeks to alter that perception with original works by 25 contemporary artists, including Nina Chanel Abney, Derrick Adams and Tariku Shiferaw. While all of the men are depicted similarly in each large-scale work, the medium used was at the discretion of the artist. Each piece is also accompanied by quotes, photographs and/or historical information to add context and illuminate the legacy of the individual.
Men of Change offers those of African-American descent the ability to tell their own stories, their way. One of the men featured in the exhibit is responsible for sharing moments of black cultural progress: the late John H. Johnson, founder of the Johnson Publishing Company. Joe Prytherch’s portrait of Johnson — which runs alongside front covers of the company’s flagship magazines Ebony and Jet — reinforces the significance of Johnson’s work in capturing everything from the everyday lives of black Americans to the frontlines of the civil rights movement.
Film director Ryan Coogler is also featured in the exhibit. Alfred Conteh’s painting of Coogler is a harmonious yet haunting recreation of his Time “Person of the Year” photograph; Coogler was one of six runners-up for the award in 2018. He shook up the film industry with his first feature, Fruitvale Station, in 2013, which tells the story of Oscar Grant’s last 24 hours of life before being fatally shot by a police officer while unarmed. With follow-up film Creed and Marvel’s box-office hit Black Panther, Coogler has continued to challenge the industry to make space for minorities. Conteh’s painting uses contrasting light and dark hues to nail Coogler’s intricate profile.
Another section of the exhibit features notable sports figures such as Muhammad Ali, LeBron James and Colin Kaepernick alongside civil rights activists, highlighting the importance of celebrities using their platform to speak out against injustices. Photos of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, two young unarmed black men fatally shot by police in their local communities, serve as sobering reminders of how some individuals bring about change through tragedy.
Coinciding with the exhibition is Ford Motor Company Fund’s “The Men of Courage Cincinnati Barbershop Challenge,” an initiative to give two local barbershops — Precision Blendz Barbershop and Razor 1 Kutz — the opportunity to win a $10,000 grant based on their efforts to encourage positive imagery around African-American men.
Cincinnati is the first stop on Men of Change’s three-year, 10-city tour. Pamela Alexander, director of community development for the Ford Motor Company Fund, says that the idea to launch the exhibit in Cincinnati was a no brainer.
“We love the Cincinnati community and it is so strong here,” Anderson says. “This exhibit is not just for African-American men. It is about African-American men and we want people from every possible gender and background to come in and see what we see — the strength, the accomplishment and the commitment to the community.”
Men of Change’s force lies in its strong ability to show that being black in America is not a monolith. Audiences will leave knowing that the mission of the men depicted was to not just survive but also to thrive here at home.
Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. runs through Dec. 1 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Tickets/info: freedomcenter.org.
