AUBURN - With central New York's rich tradition of black history, including a a significant contribution to the underground railroad, the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn held its opening reception of three exhibits that focus on these subjects.
“Central New York holds so much black history and abolitionist history,” said Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center Visitors Service Assistant Marla Kurlandski, during the opening reception and gallery talk held Sunday afternoon.
The exhibits, “Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Photographs by William Earle Williams”; “Emancipation and Denigration: Thomas Nast Pictures Black America”; and “Uncovering the Path to Freedom: Photographs of the Underground Railroad by William Earle Williams,” will be on display through June 14.
“Thomas Nast caused quite a lot of controversy with his support of the blacks through his political cartoons,” said Jay G. Williams.
“He supported the blacks and many of his cartoons depicted this.”
Jay G. Williams is Hamilton College's Walcott-Bartlett professor of religious studies, and also the curator of the Thomas Nast exhibit.
“Thomas Nast was thought to be America's first celebrity cartoonist,” he said while pointing to just a few of the more than 650 illustrations depicting Nast's views on the way that blacks were mistreated. “To understand American history you have to understand Thomas Nast.”
Nash published his editorial cartoons in the Harper's Weekly publication during the late 19th century.
“Because of his political views and that he was not afraid to depict them through his illustrations, Nast was not well liked at all,” Williams said.
“Nast was not just disliked, he was hated. Especially in the South.”
Williams pointed to one of his favorite cartoons by Nast titled: Uncle Sam's Thanksgiving Dinner.
The cartoon was a depiction of many people both young and old of different backgrounds sitting around a large table enjoying a Thanksgiving meal together.
“At the time, Nast was a very powerful figure,” Williams said. “His cartoons could make or break someone.”
People and faces are depicted through the Nast editorial cartoon collection, yet within the other two exhibits by William Earle Williams, photographic images show places, buildings and sites without people and faces of black history, abolition, and the underground railroad.
“The exhibits are a nice contrast in all aspects of black history,” Williams said. “From people and faces, to buildings and actual historical sites. It touches on a little bit of everything.”
To learn more
For more info on the exhibits: www.schweinfurthartcenter.org
The exhibits, “Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Photographs by William Earle Williams”; “Emancipation and Denigration: Thomas Nast Pictures Black America”; and “Uncovering the Path to Freedom: Photographs of the Underground Railroad by William Earle Williams,” will be on display through June 14.
“Thomas Nast caused quite a lot of controversy with his support of the blacks through his political cartoons,” said Jay G. Williams.
“He supported the blacks and many of his cartoons depicted this.”
Jay G. Williams is Hamilton College's Walcott-Bartlett professor of religious studies, and also the curator of the Thomas Nast exhibit.
“Thomas Nast was thought to be America's first celebrity cartoonist,” he said while pointing to just a few of the more than 650 illustrations depicting Nast's views on the way that blacks were mistreated. “To understand American history you have to understand Thomas Nast.”
Nash published his editorial cartoons in the Harper's Weekly publication during the late 19th century.
“Because of his political views and that he was not afraid to depict them through his illustrations, Nast was not well liked at all,” Williams said.
“Nast was not just disliked, he was hated. Especially in the South.”
Williams pointed to one of his favorite cartoons by Nast titled: Uncle Sam's Thanksgiving Dinner.
The cartoon was a depiction of many people both young and old of different backgrounds sitting around a large table enjoying a Thanksgiving meal together.
“At the time, Nast was a very powerful figure,” Williams said. “His cartoons could make or break someone.”
People and faces are depicted through the Nast editorial cartoon collection, yet within the other two exhibits by William Earle Williams, photographic images show places, buildings and sites without people and faces of black history, abolition, and the underground railroad.
“The exhibits are a nice contrast in all aspects of black history,” Williams said. “From people and faces, to buildings and actual historical sites. It touches on a little bit of everything.”
To learn more
For more info on the exhibits: www.schweinfurthartcenter.org
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