Book Launch for PICTURING BLACK HISTORY with Damarius Johnson

Join Bookmarks and the Delta Arts Center for an interactive discussion celebrating the release of Picturing Black History with author and contributor Damarius Johnson! This free community event will feature contributions from local artists, discussion about the book, light appetizers, and a booksigning. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event; you can also pre-purchase a copy with your event registration. Registration is requested but not required.

To ask questions about accessibility or request accommodations, please contact Bookmarks at [email protected] or (336) 747-1471 x1001. At least two weeks' notice will allow us to provide the best experience possible for you and your guests.

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Picturing Black History uncovers untold stories and rarely seen images of the Black experience, providing new context around culturally significant moments. This beautiful collectible volume makes a thoughtful gift and is full of rousing, vibrant essays paired with rarely seen photographs that expand our understanding of Black history.
The book is a collaborative effort between Getty Images, Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, and the History departments at The Ohio State and Miami Universities. It informs, educates, and inspires our current moment by exploring the past, blending the breadth and depth of Getty Images’s archives with the renowned expertise of Origins contributors and The Ohio State’s and Miami’s History departments, including Daniela Edmeier, Damarius Johnson, Nicholas Breyfogle, and Steve Conn.

Created by a growing collective of professional historians, art historians, Black Studies scholars, and photographers and showcasing Getty Images’s unmatched collection of photographs, Picturing Black History embraces the power of visual storytelling to relay little-known stories of oppression and resistance, perseverance and resilience, freedom, dreams, imagination, and joy within the United States and around the world.
In collecting these new photographic essays, this book furthers an ongoing dialogue on the significance of Black history and Black life, sharing new perspectives on the current status of prejudice and discrimination bias with a wider audience. Picturing Black History uses the latest academic learning and scholarship to recontextualize and dispel prejudices, while uncovering, digitizing, and preserving new archival materials to amplify a more inclusive visual landscape.

Damarius Johnson is a PhD Student at The Ohio State University. He is a public historian whose research examines intersecting traditions of Black museum-building in the United States and West Africa. He is currently the Community Outreach Manager at Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Delta Arts Center, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a vital cultural hub that champions the artistic contributions of the BIPOC community. For over 52 years, it has played a transformative role in the community by fostering creativity and cultural expression through a diverse range of gallery exhibitions, performing arts programs, and literary workshops.

As a nonprofit organization, the Center is dedicated to making the arts accessible to all, hosting events that engage, inspire, and unite the community. By providing a platform for both emerging and established artists, the Delta Arts Center encourages collaboration and dialogue, enriching the cultural fabric of the Triad region.

Through its commitment to community engagement, the Delta Arts Center empowers individuals and groups to explore their creativity, celebrate their heritage, and connect with one another. With a mission to inspire and uplift, the Center continues to be a catalyst for positive change and cultural development in Winston-Salem and beyond.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Delta Arts Center, 2611 New Walkertown Road, Winston-Salem, United States