I Too Sing AmericaI Too Sing America

The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance, a period of cultural blossoming that occurred in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem in the 1920-50s. Curated by Columbus native and highly acclaimed writer Wil Haygood, the exhibition includes work by Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage, and others who interpreted the lives of African Americans during this time. In addition, the exhibition includes unprinted photographs by James Van Der Zee obtained through the artist's estate and a private collection of vernacular photographs of African American life. A selection of books, sheet music, and print ephemera from this period further showcases the innovative and expansive cultural output produced in Harlem during this unforgettable epoch of American history. The exhibition explores the religious, political, and cultural activism of the period, everyday life, and the extraordinary individuals such as poet Langston Hughes and philosopher Alain Locke whose words and scholarship contributed to the development of this period so rich in art, music, and literature.