Jackson State University and Getty Images celebrate the storied history of the HBCU's homecoming with new photography exhibit
October 06 2023 - 8:57AM
Jackson State University (JSU) and Getty Images (NYSE: GETY), a
preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace, are
preserving history with the launch of a new photo exhibition, "A
JSU Homecoming Legacy: Connecting the Past to the Future." The
exhibit highlights and captures the spirit of JSU's homecoming from
the university's early years until the present day through 30
rarely seen images from JSU's Archives, newly digitized through
Getty Images' Photo Archive Grants Program for HBCUs.
The exhibition, which aligns with JSU's 2023 homecoming theme,
"Thee Legacy Continues," will open to the public Wednesday, Oct.
11, through Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the
Johnson Hall Art Gallery on the university's main campus. The
exhibit is closed on weekends.
"Jackson State University has a tremendous Tiger legacy, and we
are very excited to collaborate with Getty Images on the release of
this exhibit and continuing to build upon the foundations
established around homecoming with students, faculty, staff,
administrators, alumni, and all included in the history of our
HBCU," said Locord Wilson,
Ph.D., interim dean of libraries, JSU H.T. Sampson
Library, which houses the university's archives.
The exhibit was curated by a diverse and intergenerational group
of staff and administrators from JSU and Getty Images, who believe
in harnessing the power of photographic storytelling to show the
rich history of the nation's HBCUs. The images are also informed by
hundreds of years of Mississippi movements and moments that
underscore what homecoming and JSU mean to the greater
community.
The exhibition is also an extension of Jackson State's selection
last year as one of four recipients to receive Getty Images
Photo Archives Grant for HBCUs made possible by the Getty
Family and the philanthropic organization Stand Together. The
program commits $500,000 to digitize HBCU photographic archives and
has supported the digitization, metadata and keywording for over
5,000 archival photographs from JSU's library.
"We are proud to work with JSU and all other HBCUs to increase
access to unique imagery and bring awareness to untold stories,"
said Cassandra Illidge, vice president of
global content partnerships at Getty Images. "A single photo can
encompass a lifetime of experiences that help shape the world. This
exhibition is a testament to the power of visual storytelling,
collaboration, respect, and a celebration of the impact of HBCU's
history for generations to come."
Those who attend the exhibit will receive a dose of nostalgia by
reveling in the evolution of JSU homecomings, from black and white
photos of the university's early football teams and cheerleaders to
vibrant images of the Sonic Boom of the South and Prancing
J-Settes. One may even catch a glimpse of themselves in afros and
bell bottoms. All the images are designed to tell a robust story of
the history and thrill of Jackson State homecomings.
Guests can purchase the imagery on display in the gallery from
an onsite brochure for direct shipping to their location of choice
via photos.com.
Committee members Brittany Myburgh, Ph.D.,
assistant professor of art history in the Department of Art &
Theatre, and Mark Geil, interim chair and
associate professor in the Department of Art & Theatre, played
a crucial part in helping to select the photos for installation in
the exhibit, along with JSU archivist Darlita
Ballard, Getty Images curator Shawn
Waldron and others.
"The fact that the Getty Images program has supported our
students in learning the archival skills they need to preserve and
tell this history is truly significant. Our students are the next
generation of archivists and historians who will tell the story of
Jackson State University and continue this legacy," said Myburgh.
"To tell the story of Jackson State University in one exhibit is no
small task, but these images truly capture the milestones of this
HBCU and the joy and celebration of homecoming."
More information about the exhibit can be found here.
Media Contacts:Jackson State
UniversityRachel
James-Terryrachel.d.james-terry@jsums.edu
Getty Images Jenna
AttardiJenna.Attardi@gettyimages.com
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