Blog on Museum exhibit “Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America

Park City Museum is host to a fantastic traveling exhibit “Black and White in Black and White: Images of Dignity, Hope, and Diversity in America”. 

The exhibit is made up of powerful photographs taken by African American photographer John Johnson between 1910 and 1925. Johnson had no studio and so he used the natural environment around him, including his own Lincoln, Nebraska neighborhood.

In many ways, since the Russians and Germans were often discriminated against as well, the neighborhood was a model of inclusion and some of the photos show black and white neighbors, playmates and co-workers together.

I recommend you begin with the short video which plays behind the bar. The video introduces you to Johnson and explains the timeline and significance of many of the photos and the people who appear in them.

At a time when African Americans were depicted by negative stereotypes inspiring rampant discrimination, Johnson’s work displays them with great dignity. Men and women who valued education, family and hard work; even if the only work available to them was the career of being a porter, dishwasher, cook, maid or janitor.

Sixteen year old Doug Keister acquired 280 glass plate negatives in 1965 and is now the curator of this amazing collection. It is traveled by Exhibit Envoy and presented with support from California State University, Chico. View the exhibit in Park City Museum’s Tozer Gallery from November 21 to January 7, 2022.