- The exhibition “Hidden and Forbidden: Art and Objects of Intolerance; Evolving Depictions of Blacks in America,” at the Suffolk County Historical Society, includes a Ku Klux Klan uniform. Courtesy of Gordon M. Grant Via The New York Times
Views of Intolerance in Many Forms
By: Aileen Jacobson
February 8, 2013
“A new exhibition at the Suffolk County Historical Society includes objects and images that ‘are rarely or never seen in a museum,’ said Kathryn Curran, executive director of the society.”
“The exhibition, ‘Hidden and Forbidden: Art and Objects of Intolerance; Evolving Depictions of Blacks in America,’ starts with a section on slavery, continues through Jim Crow laws and various characterizations and caricatures of black citizens and ends on a more hopeful note with a display called ‘Black Movements in America’.”
- The curators: David Byer-Tyre, director of programming and community development for the Suburban Oral History Project at Hofstra University; Kathryn Curran, center, director of the Suffolk County Historical Society, and Georgette Grier-Key, an ex officio society board member. Courtesy of Gordon M. Grant Via New York Times
“‘Mr. Byer-Tyre said the display of items like a cartoon of two children eating watermelon or a lawn ornament depicting an obedient black servant allows visitors ‘to digest them in an environment in which they can’t openly express outrage.’ Instead, he said, they might think to themselves, ‘I may have owned some of these things or used words that may have openly diminished these people.’”
“Mr. Byer-Tyre said it was important to ‘have an open conversation,’ so that ‘these kinds of actions won’t be repeated in the future.'”
- Curator David Byer-Tyre and Suffolk County Historical Society executive director Kathy Curran holding Currier and Ives’ ‘Dark Town’ series prints. Courtesy of BARBARA ELLEN KOCH Via Times Review
“An area of the exhibition called ‘Homegrown Terrorists’ is mostly about the Ku Klux Klan and includes a journal for a July 4 weekend event in 1926 at the Mineola Fair Grounds, opened to a page of small advertisements by a wide geographic range of businesses and Klan chapters, including Inwood, Hempstead and Northport.”
“The presentation of Aunt Jemima, Ms. Grier-Key pointed out, has become less stereotyped, with the character’s head scarf replaced by earrings. ‘They gave her a perm and pearls,’ she said. ‘This is an evolving part of American history, and it’s still evolving. But it is part of American history.’ “
- Cartoons and other items depicting racist caricatures. Courtesy of Gordon M. Grant Via New York Times
” ‘Hidden and Forbidden: Art and Objects of Intolerance; Evolving Depictions of Blacks in America‘ continues through June 1 at the Suffolk County Historical Society, 300 West Main Street, Riverhead, including a February lecture series. Information: suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org or (631) 727-2881.”
To read the complete article, please visit “Views of Intolerance in Many Forms“.
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