On view through January 6, 2020, “Romare Bearden: Vision and Activism” at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, is an exhibit that shows how African American artist Romare Bearden (1911-1988) broke stereotypes about black life by envisioning a complex community striving for collaborative justice and redefining beauty in the landscape of the African American experience.
This special exhibition contains over 40 pieces and features illustrations from Bearden’s only children’s book, “Li’l Dan The Drummer Boy: A Civil War Story” which is about a young slave drummer who follows Union soldiers after the emancipation. The exhibition includes four never-before-seen pieces from the Lil’ Dan series and also includes an interactive area for young visitors.
Romare Bearden’s work spanned over 50 years and illustrates the vibrancy and culture of Black America during the Great Migration, Civil Rights Movement and modern society. Involved in political action inside and outside the studio, Bearden worked to display examples of war, struggle and strife, but also ritual, music, and family joy. Drawing on his Southern roots and Harlem moxie, he was known for experimenting with different mediums and styles. But he is best known for his collages, two of which appeared on the covers of Fortune and Time magazines in 1968.
For more information, see: http://civilrightsmuseum.org/romare-bearden or view: https://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/romare-bearden and about the Romare Bearden Foundation, including views of his artworks at: https://beardenfoundation.org.
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Established in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum is noted as one of the nation’s premier heritage and cultural museums that is steadfast in its mission to share the culture and lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement and explore how this significant era continues to shape equality and freedom globally.The museum is also among the top 5% of institutions to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a founding member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, which brings together historic sites, museums and memory initiatives from all around the globe that connect past struggles to today’s movements for human rights and social justice.