There's a wonderful photography exhibit at the Woodson Regional Library showcasing the works of members of the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers (CAAAP). Stunning images of Chicago's African American community, arts and culture are on display as seen from the eyes of many of the finest American photographers you will ever see in one collection - from serious amateurs to professional studio photographers to Pulitzer prize winners.
I just stumbled into this exhibit - I was going to a meeting with some members of the Chicago Non Violent Coordinating Committee which is planning to have their own exhibit on the role of the organization in shaping the fight for freedom in Chicago between 1960-1965. (I am hosting their website and was there to meet with their web developer.) I got waylaid because before going into the meeting room, was the CAAAP exhibit right in the library's reading room. I took a quick look and was struck by many of the images especially of the two women showing their tattoos as photographed by the celebrated Rosalind Glanton, who died suddenly a few months ago. The subjects of the photographs are eclectic, reflecting the various interests of CAAAP members - from vivid color photographs of South Africa to President Barack Obama before he became president as well photographs of him coming back to Chicago for a visit . I wish I had more time to go around and view the exhibit more thoroughly. But I still have a chance to - it runs till the end of September.
The Woodson Regional Library, one of the regional libraries of the Chicago Public Library and a great resource for African American history and literature, is located at 9525 S. Halsted St. in Chicago's Southside. The library's Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature holds invaluable documents and materials focused on the black experience especially in Illinois. The collection welcomes visitors and researchers. (Special shout out to the Ms. Beverly Cook, the fabulous archivist that I met there.)
The Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers (CAAAP) was founded, among others, "to photographically document the culture, society and history of African-Americans, its communities, residents and their ethnic exchange in the Greater Chicago area and throughout the world and to promote the work of professional and amateur photographers through sponsored exhibitions, publications, lectures and education in the field of photography, and its related genre." The membership is composed of commercial, fine art, freelance, documentary, newspaper photojournalists and amateurs and includes includes three past Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalists: former Chicago Tribune photographer Ovie Carter, recipient of the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting; Milbert Brown, Jr., member (with Carter) of the Tribune’s team that won the 2001 prize for Explanatory Reporting; and Chicago Sun-Times photographer John H. White, who won the 1982 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. They meet every third Sunday of the month at the South Side Community Art Center, 3831 S. Michigan. Membership is open to all - beginners, amateurs and professionals. For more information, please go to their website.
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