Civil rights museum exhibit informs, inspires

The celebration of African American heritage month has taken a new twist.

Museums usually adapt the standard approach of hanging pieces of art on walls and placing explanatory captions nearby. 

But now at The Skirball Museum in West LA, visitors can celebrate Black History Month by viewing and participating in photography exhibits.  The first is entitled “Breach of Peace: Photographs of Freedom Riders,” the second “Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement 1956-1968.”  These exhibits document the struggle of African Americans during the Civil Rights movement.

“Road to Freedom” features more than 170 images along with related historical objects that helped change the nation.  Specifically, there are two photos in the exhibit that I found to be the most memorable. 

Bob Fletcher, a photographer for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Comittee, contributed a black and white photograph entitled “SNCC Poster on a Front Porch,” published in 1965/66.  Taken in Mississippi, it displays a young African American boy reaching out for a woman who appears to be his mother.  In the background of this photo there is a SNCC poster, which inspires the youth to act “now” and participate in the Civil Rights Movement. 

What makes the picture most compelling is that it shows a child “reaching out” just as the poster calls him to take the same action.  

Another unforgettable image was taken in Texas, by Joe Schershel of LIFE magazine, in 1956.  It is entitled “Students Steve Poston and Jesssalyn Gray Taunted by White Supremacists.”  What is surprising about this photo is the apparent nonchalance of two young African American students remained despite the enraged supremacists in the background.  Such racial hatred created daily obstacles that black youth had to rise above when the integration of public school began.

These inspiring pictures, that capture the moments and dominant injustices during the fight for equal rights, were shot by photojournalists, social activists, and anonymous witnesses.  Visitors to the museum can also access numerous iPods to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. 

Memorabilia, such as magazines, pins, and other relevant objects are also on display in this gallery.  A documentary film on the role played by Jewish Americans in the Civil Rights Movement is also another feature of the exhibit.

“Breach of Peace: Photographs of Freedom Riders” focuses on the individuals who despite their arrests, remained strong during the protests.  The exhibit provides historical black and white mug shots of those who participated in “sit-ins” during the civil rights movement alongside their contemporary portraits.  A variety of people who took part in the non-violent resistance movement account of their personal experiences during these tough times.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the “Breach of Peace” exhibit is the invitation to viewers to participate.  A photo booth located at the end of the exhibit offers a free set of three photos of your personal “mug shot.”  This is a special interactive station where visitors have the opportunity to express their beliefs.  You pair your photo with a response on provided paper answering the question: “What cause would YOU ride for?”

The Civil Rights Movement was a monumental period in American history, and both exhibits capture the realities of this inspiring struggle for equal rights.  These “Breach of Peace” exhibit concludes April 11^th and the “Road to Freedom” exhibit concludes March 7^th.

The Skirball Museum is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049.  The museum provides a discount for full-time students, with an admission price of $7 but every Thursday admission is free for everyone.  Free parking is available off Skirball Center Drive.  Hours of operation vary and can be found on at www.skirball.org.  

Contact Ashley Atienza through email at aatienza@csu.fullerton.edu