Joy Captured

Installation Image

“Image is important as a teaching tool—as a way of creating judgment, creating peace, or educating people.” Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe

The section shows how the photographers capture joy, it features the work of photographers, Vera Jackson who captures honorary educator, Mary McLeod Bethune and actress/singer Lena Horne as well Phillipa Schuyler, prodigy and Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Oscar and Samaliah Ali’s portrait of Audre Lorde. It also features  an ode to  “Black Boy Joy” which was inspired by the viral movement to present the freedom of expression and emotion of black men. Black men are often stereotyped to be overly aggressive and void of emotions, which perpetuates toxic masculinity.