As part of the University’s American Dream Reconsidered Conference, Roosevelt premiered a photography exhibit by celebrated photographer Vanessa Charlot. The opening reception took place in the new home of the exhibit, the Gage Gallery located on Roosevelt’s Chicago campus. The exhibit is titled “Love Letter for Black America: Photographs by Vanessa Charlot” and features two sets of symbiotic photographs titled “Fire Next Time” and “Down in the Delta.”
"Fire Next Time," inspired by James Baldwin's iconic work, captures the experiences of Black residents in St. Louis, Missouri who continuously confront the unquenchable flames of racism and oppression in modern America. During the summer of 2020, as Black communities faced existential threats from COVID-19 and police brutality, harsh realities emerged for society to confront. This archival project offers a visual narrative of life in St. Louis through the lens of racialized bodies, mirroring the cycle of fire: igniting, growing, combusting and ultimately decaying. The lived experiences of Black Americans symbolize the fierce struggle for self-affirmation in a hostile environment—their homeland.
"Down in the Delta" creates a visual archive of Roosevelt Davenport (b. 1937) and his family's experiences as former sharecroppers who became landowners on the Quito Plantation in Morgan City, Mississippi. Their narrative is woven into the fabric of Black life in the South, highlighting resilience and contributions against the backdrop of cotton fields and Jim Crow, while showcasing the strength of community and family bonds in the Delta.
Charlot is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, lecturer, curator and Assistant Professor of Creative Multimedia at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. Her work examines the intersection of race, politics, culture and sexual/gender expression to delve into the collective human experience. Aiming to create visual representations free from an oppressive gaze, Vanessa seeks to humanize Black bodies through her photography, restoring the dignity and vitality of individuals often depicted without context, motives or histories. Her work encourages us to reflect on our perceptions of Black bodies, both as static images and in motion.
The exhibit is open to the public, as are the remaining events of the American Dream Reconsidered Conference.
