Mississippi News

Mississippi Museum of Art opens ‘Great Migration’ exhibit

Published

3 years ago

April 15, 2022

Photos: Mississippi Museum of Art opens homage exhibit to ‘The Great Migration’

by Vickie King, Mississippi Today
April 15, 2022

More than 6 million African Americans in the South migrated north seeking better opportunities and a better way of life between 1916-1970. Those millions populated cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

That exodus was called “The Great Migration.”

An homage to that pilgrimage north opened this week at the Mississippi Museum of Art, where 12 artists from across the nation with ties to Mississippi will have their newly commissioned works showcased in the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration.”

The exhibit features work by acclaimed Black artists, including Akea Brionne, Mark Bradford, Zoë Charlton, Larry W. Cook, Torkwase Dyson, Theaster Gates Jr., Allison Janae Hamilton, Leslie Hewitt, Steffani Jemison, Robert Pruitt, Jamea Richmond-Edwards, and Carrie Mae Weems. The works explore “profound impact of the Great Migration on the social and cultural life of the United States from historical and personal perspectives,” museum officials explained.

The museum hosted an April 8 weekend opening that featured discussions from most of the artists. The weekend guests included Ford Foundation president and author Darren Walker, who spoke to attendees about the lasting legacies of the Great Migration, and ABC anchor and Mississippi native Robin Roberts.

The exhibit will be open at the museum in downtown Jackson until Sept. 11, 2022.

Here are some photos from the exhibit’s opening weekend.

Los Angeles artist Mark Bradford’s piece, “In 500,” depicts a wanted ad calling for Black families to settle on land in New Mexico, as opposed to “Wanted” posters of a more sinister ilk. Bradford’s artwork is part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Artist Jamea Richmond-Edwards of Detroit (center) and museum visitors chat about Richmond-Edward’s piece, “This Water Runs Deep,” currently on display as part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Jamea Richmond-Edwards of Detroit discusses her mixed media and collage on canvas piece, “This Water Runs Deep,” depicting family impacted by Mississippi River flooding and their travels north to Arkansas and Missouri. The artwork is part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Maryland based artist Zoe Charlton, poses with her collage on wood panel, “Permanent Change of Station.” The piece blends worlds of reality and fantasy, depicting her family’s journeys out of the South and around the world, many by way of the military, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Artist Larry W. Cook, with one of the only portraits he has shot of his father. Cooks’ portrait of his father and other family members is called, “Let My Testimony Sit Next to Yours,” and is a part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Museum curator Ryan N. Dennis describes the piece of Houston born artist Robert Pruitt called, “A Song for Travelers,” which depicts Houston’s Third and Fourth Wards where Pruitt grew up. The artwork is part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Museum curator Jessica Bell Brown (center), describes the painted steel and aluminum, glass and dry-erase piece of artist Torkwase Dyson called, “Way Over There Inside Me (A Festival of Inches),” depicting ” the magnitude of accelerated movement in America.” Dyson’s sculpture is part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Artist Akea Brionne describes the tapestries she created honoring her three great aunts (the Phelps sisters) and her great grandmother. These women in her life made it possible for the men in the family to migrate north in search of a better life. The artwork is part of the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

Artists, patrons of the arts and Mississippi Museum of the Arts staff kick off the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” an homage to the social, economical and cultural impact that resulted from the exodus of millions African Americans from the South to northern states. The exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” opened today at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

The Mississippi Museum of Art is host to the exhibit, “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration,” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Friday, Apr. 8, 2022.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State

Published

2 weeks ago

March 22, 2025

Staff Editor

www.wjtv.com – The Associated Press – 2025-03-22 09:03:00

SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23

Published

2 weeks ago

March 21, 2025

Staff Editor

www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-21 08:59:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16

Published

3 weeks ago

March 14, 2025

Staff Editor

www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-14 07:26:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.

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