The Wall of Respect: Vestiges, Shards and the Legacy of Black Power

Guest curated by Romi Crawford, Abdul Alkalimat and Rebecca Zorach, this exhibition chronicles how the Organization of Black Arts and Culture – a collection of 14 designers, photographers, painters and others – designed and produced a seminal mural for and within Chicago’s Black South Side communities. Featuring the images of leading black icons ranging from Sarah Vaughan and John Coltrane to Marcus Garvey and Ossie Davis, The Wall of Respect received national critical acclaim when it was unveiled in 1967 on the side of a building at 43rd St. and Langley Ave on the heels of the March on Washington, the assassination of Malcolm X and the emergence of Black Power. The Wall was ultimately painted over and virtually forgotten after damage by a fire in 1971, but it’s legacy has reemerged today as one of the most significant projects in Chicago’s storied public art history. Part of the City of Chicago's Year of Public Art.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website