American Negro Exposition
american negro exposition also known black world fair diamond jubilee exposition world fair held chicago july september celebrate th anniversary also known diamond jubilee end slavery united state conclusion civil war result discrimination towards african american century progress exposition james washington real estate developer conceived american negro exposition july president franklin delano roosevelt hyde park home pressed button turn light officially opening american negro exposition main speaker opening day chicago mayor edward joseph kelly well postmaster general james farley exposition held chicago coliseum exhibit display exposition organized james w washington president funded two million grant congress illinois general assembly truman gibson member roosevelt black cabinet served executive director fair entrance cent organizer expected million people attend art exhibit curated alonzo j aden comprised painting drawing called new york time largest showing work negro artist ever assembled exposition dominated replica lincoln tomb monument springfield ill exhibit include representation federal department agency city board education republic liberia one section feature work negro authorsalmost every day closing time labor day sept set aside honor state organization negro additionally hall fame honoring notable african american artist william edouard scott created series mural event took three month complete black mexican artist elizabeth catletts master thesis limestone sculpture negro mother child first place exposition margaret walker entered literary competition following verse come brother citizen america hear strange singing brother see strange dancing daughter know two one danger peace plenty poverty freedom forever power glory triumph ask america signing witness soul deny right cast vote street america senate hall america deny right speak also america cleared forest laid thoroughfare presumptuous tell ride stand sit lynch flesh flesh say shall live shall die tell eat sleep america arna bontemps langston hughes cowrote musical titled jubilee cavalcade negro theater specifically exposition bontemps poet fenton johnson several others working auspex illinois writer project produced commemorative page africanamerican history book called cavalcade american negro musical segment performance duke ellington orchestra well swing performance chime normandy exhibit fivefeet wide diorama held court diorama hall made wood plaster masonite showcasing africanamerican contribution event historical significance ranging ancient egypt world war commercial artist charles c dawson directed creation diorama temporary exhibit display roughly two month exhibition ran inspired local teacher improving teaching africanamerican history list diorama name time showing included original diorama lost tuskegee university dawson alumnus started teaching institution acquired remaining diorama state illinois placed university former george washington carver museum moved main library due state disrepair arrived tuskegee destroyed stored away public view decade tuskegee legacy museum set new exhibit diorama brightlylit window magically different using diorama demonstrate rich past africanamericans museum curator dr jontyle robinson used conservation work improve diversity field conservation since conservator african american restoring single diorama cost cbs sunday morning correspondent rita braver story diorama intention bringing awareness hope segment would help unearthing lost african american cultural center university illinois chicago curated exhibition exposition showcasingobjects image text landmarkexposition exhibit american negroessociological display within palace social economy world fair paris including negro newspaper official program guidebook hosted internet archive cavalcade american negroinformation hosted library congress book name produced illinois writer project wpa became one important contribution includes useful description exhibit exposition