In the museum’sMezzanine Gallery, “The Black Panthers: Making Sense of History” presents morethan 40 prints from the 1960s and ’70s by award-winning photographer StephenShames. Shames, at the time enrolled as a student at the Universityof California, Berkeley, gained access to the leaders of therevolutionary Black Panther Party. The Black Panthers, today an iconic symbolof ’60s political discourse and counterculture, had called for radical reformsto empower African Americans through changes in education, employment, healthcare and housing. Images of the party and the issues at hand helped to shapepublic perception of the Black Panthers and their movement.
Shames’ photographsprovide a private, reflective portrayal of the group and the times. As anartist who has garnered international acclaim, including the Kodak CrystalEagle Award for Impact in Photojournalism, his prints grace collections in theNational Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, amongothers. Through Aperture, Shames has also published monographs regarding socialissues, including one2006’s The BlackPanthersdetailing photographs and experiences related to this exhibition.
Some of Shames’photographic visions have captured the concerns of the underprivilegedthroughout the world, and some have even become the impetus for nonprofitorganizations such as L.E.A.D. Uganda, which was inspired by his funeralphotographs of a mother who left behind five orphans. L.E.A.D. Uganda later wona grant and has helped to educate orphans, former underage soldiers and refugeechildren.
On select Wednesdayevenings at 6 p.m., the Haggerty Museum hosts receptions to complement theexhibition: On Sept. 15, history professor Andrew Witt discusses “Picking Upthe Hammer: Rethinking the Black Panther Party”; on Sept. 29, Stephen Shamesarrives for a gallery walk through the exhibition; on Oct. 6, Sister AnitaPrice Baird from the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office for Racial Justice offersher thoughts on “Creating a Vision of a Post-Racial World.”
From Aug. 20-22, thecity welcomes the arrival of theMilwaukee Domes Art Festival. Seventy-five juried artists will attend theevent amid the beautiful displays at this local landmark on Friday, Aug. 20,noon-7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-4p.m.
