Marchers sing freedom songs en route to Jackson. Photo by Matt Herron, 1966.
For some of you, today is a holiday. So, what exactly does one do in Utah to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day? The day off, especially on a snowy day like today, is a good excuse to go skiing. But if you’re looking for something a little more civic-minded, something to recognize the struggles for civil rights in this country, you might take the opportunity to visit The Leonardo’s photographic exhibition celebrating the movement.
This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement, is a traveling exhibit that runs through May in The Leonardo’s second floor Human Rights gallery. Produced by the Center for Documentary Expression and Art, this exhibition depicts the African-American freedom struggle in the South between 1963 and 1968. The core of the exhibition is a collection of 156 black-and white photographs that explores the Civil Rights Movement through the work and voices of nine activist photographers—men and women who chose to document the national battle against segregation and other forms of race-based disenfranchisement from within the movement. In addition to the photographs, the exhibition also includes accompanying audio guides for both youth and adults accessible via personal cell phones, as well as an in-gallery film titled “Utah’s Freedom Riders,” produced by KUED.
Normally closed on Mondays, The Leonardo will be open today 11 am – 5 pm.
On Friday, January 20, The Leonardo will offer a limited number of exhibit tours with Civil Rights leader Julian Bond, exhibit curator Matt Herron, and exhibit photographer Tamio Wakayama between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The tours are open to the public but must be booked in advance. To reserve a spot, email rsvp@theleonardo.org, or call 801.531.9800, ext. 201. Include the following: 1) you are calling to book an exhibit tour on Jan. 20, 2) indicate a time preference between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., 3) your phone and email information for confirmation.
During the month of February, The Leonardo will offer special docent-led tours, as well selected readings of plays chronicling the black experience. For additional details, dates and times, please visit the “Upcoming Events” section at www.theleonardo.org.
UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Categories: Daily Bytes | Happenings
