Black Artists and Activism: Harlem on My Mind (1969)

Abstract

Examines the activism of the black art community of Harlem, New York City, in response to the 'Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900-1968' exhibition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in 1969. Though the director's intent with the 'Harlem' exhibition was to increase communication between white and black communities, certain omissions and miscommunications sparked protest from the black community. The Met had excluded members of the Harlem community from the planning stages of the exhibition and had rejected art from Harlem's vibrant art community. In an attempt to rectify the situation, The Met and the Harlem artist community negotiated, but serious miscommunications exacerbated the situation. Though the event sparked controversy, the black community learned that it could pressure mainstream art museums into making important changes. Additionally, black artists and curators learned that they could produce their own exhibitions that would provide a counter narrative to those proffered by the mainstream art community.