DAVENPORT, Iowa — A new exhibit opened Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Figge Art Museum that highlights the activism of one Mississippi college during the Civil Rights Movement, along with the art that was formed there during the period.
Famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Hale Woodruff make up just a couple of the 33 pieces included in the Art and Activism at Tougaloo College exhibition.
According to Figge's website, "Art and Activism traces the inception of this distinctive collection at the intersection of modern art, education, and social justice by highlighting Tougaloo’s evolution as a center for vanguard European and American art shaped by interracial collaboration and the pursuit of civil rights."
Tougaloo College not only became a hub of art movements in 1963 but also played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement after a group of students and faculty participated in a lunch counter sit-in at a Jackson, Mississippi Woolworth's.
The exhibit provides "a visual history of the collection's development and its intersection with the ongoing struggle for civil rights," according to a press release from the museum.
Art and Activism will be on display through Jan. 28, 2024. Tickets at the Figge are $4 for kids four to 12 years old, $10 for adults, and $6 for senior citizens. The Figge also offers free admission on Thursday evenings.
“The Figge Art Museum is honored to have an exhibition that demonstrates the transformative power of art in service of social change and the enduring legacy of Tougaloo College in the fight for equality,” Figge Executive Director Michelle Hargrave said. “We invite everyone in the community to join us in exploring this remarkable chapter of history through the lens of art and activism.”
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