Black Voices in Special Collections features books and archival materials from Kelvin Smith Library Special Collections spanning different genres, periods, and styles, but share a common thread of celebrating the Black experience and expression.
The exhibit includes contributions from some of the most influential and acclaimed figures in literature, such as Phyllis Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry; Langston Hughes, the leader of the Harlem Renaissance and a master of jazz poetry; Charles Chesnutt, a pioneer of African American fiction and a social critic; Frank Etheridge, a jazz musician and composer who played with legends like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway; and Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry.
In addition to featuring these creators, the exhibit also includes materials showing the rich cultural history of Cleveland, such as the Cleveland Play House, the oldest professional regional theater in the country; the Karamu House, the oldest African American theater in the nation.
This exhibit is on view now in KSL Special Collections through Summer 2024.