On View April 26 - June 14, 2008

Special Events:

• Gallery Talk by Emancipation and Denigration Curator Jay G. Williams, Sunday, April 27, 2pm
• Reception, Sunday, April 27, 3 - 5pm
• Gallery Talk by exhibiting artist William E. Williams, Sunday, May 4, 2pm

Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Photographs by William Earle Williams

Until the release of the motion picture Glory in 1989, it was not well known that more than 180,000 black soldiers served in the Civil War. Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War calls attention to the sites made special through black soldiers' contributions, so that their story becomes a part of our American story. The exhibition features over 60 stunning black-and-white photographs by William Earle Williams of battle sites in both the North and South, some historically renowned and some largely undiscovered.

According to Williams, "Too often the historical and artistic legacy of black accomplishment is ignored. As an artist the memory of these soldiers has inspired my artistic imagination. The ground they fought on is sacred and an inspiration for all Americans. These sites dispel the myth that blacks were given their citizenship and rights after the Civil War without having fought for and earned them." He photographs sites where black soldiers trained, fought, or lost their lives. These locations, along with images significant to the Underground Railroad, have often been overlooked and are rarely photographed. Williams' photographs are rich in history, and he has spent a great deal of time researching the locations depicted in each image. The sites are often forgotten and unmarked—the viewer would not immediately realize the historic importance of these places without Williams' research.

Williams received his BA in History at Hamilton College in 1973 and went on to Yale University where he received an MFA in Fine Arts. He has been a professor of fine arts at Haverford College in Pennsylvania since 1978, and a curator of photography since 1979. Produced by William E. Williams and Light Work in Syracuse, NY.

Emancipation and Denigration: Thomas Nast Pictures Black America

This exhibition explores the reality of life for many African Americans in post-Civil War America as seen through the eyes of political cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902). Creator of such popular images as Uncle Sam and Santa Claus, Nast was one of the primary spokesmen for Abraham Lincoln, emancipation, and the end of the oppression of blacks. After the Civil War and passage of the 13th Amendment, Nast was quick to observe that new forms of official and unofficial oppression replaced slavery. The Ku Klux Klan, which had both southern and northern supporters, viciously suppressed black freedoms.  Lynchings and other atrocities occurred throughout the South. In the North discrimination was more subtle. 

Emancipation and Denigration features 16 wood engravings by Thomas Nast from the collection of Jay G. Williams, Hamilton's Walcott-Bartlett Professor of Religious Studies. Curated by Jay G. Williams, the Walcott-Bartlett Professor of Religious Studies at Hamilton College and organized by Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College.

Uncovering the Path to Freedom: Photographs of the Underground Railroad by William Earle Williams

For more than 20 years, William E. Williams has been photographing Underground Railroad sites across the United States. During a residency at Light Work in Syracuse, NY, Williams became especially interested in the rich history of the Underground Railroad in Central New York. Uncovering the Path to Freedom features 35 black-and-white photographs by Williams. The photographs offer a new look at the history of the Underground Railroad and its impact on Central New York. Organized by the Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College.