KU launches online exhibit of African-American photos
LAWRENCE — Leon K. Hughes, a self-taught amateur photographer in Wichita, began shooting images in the 1940s in Wichita and soon became the go-to guy when African-American families wanted to document birthdays, marriages, graduations, church and civic events, and other special occasions.
Hughes' photographs make up one of several African-American Experience Collections that can be found in the Kansas Collection at Spencer Research Library at The University of Kansas.
Deborah Dandridge, archivist for KU's African-American Experience Collections at KU Libraries, said the Leon K. Hughes Photography Collection and Exhibition recently became available for viewing online through a collaboration between KU Libraries and the Kansas African American Museum in Wichita.
"Never have we had a collection that gives us so many sketches of people's personal stories," she said. "These images demonstrate a people who found joy and dignity within their families and communities despite all the negative public images of their lives and the myriad of restrictions imposed on them at the time."
The interactive digital collection includes more than 1,000 of the 2,700 photographs taken by Hughes.
Dandridge said Hughes, who worked at the Boeing Company in Wichita, began his photography career in 1946 and continued to document life in the African-American community until 1976. By the 1970s, non-African-Americans were hiring him to shoot their family events.
http://cjonline.com/news/local/2012-11-22/ku-launches-online-exhibit-african-american-photos
(and yes, I'm a proud jayhawk)
= new reply since forum marked as read
