PITTSBURGH – A groundbreaking new exhibition, Black Photojournalism, is set to open, bringing together the work of nearly 60 photographers who chronicled American history and daily life from 1945 to 1984. The collection highlights the critical role of Black photographers in documenting a period of urgent social change, including the civil rights movements of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
The exhibition, co-organized by Dan Leers, curator of photography, and Charlene Foggie-Barnett, Charles “Teenie” Harris community archivist, is designed to showcase how Black journalists and publishers created groundbreaking networks to ensure stories about Black lives were told from their own perspectives.
The Power of the Image
During a time when mainstream media often ignored or misrepresented Black communities, publications like the Afro American News, Atlanta Daily World, Pittsburgh Courier, Chicago Defender, and Ebony transformed the media landscape. The exhibition features original work prints that were once circulated and reviewed in these publishing offices, each one a testament to the dedicated individuals who worked tirelessly to deliver the news.
“One picture leads to another, making visible multiple experiences of history,” said a representative for the exhibition. “The work proposes ways of understanding today as tomorrow is being created.”
The collection of images, drawn from a wide range of archives and private collections, captures both historic events and the rhythms of daily life. The exhibition aims to show how photojournalism served as a form of resistance, a craft, and a crucial act of documentation, insisting on the fullness of life in the face of oppression.
Exhibit: Black Photojournalism, Heinz Gallery, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, 13 September through 19 January 2026.
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