Exhibit

In Black and White

Photographs of Black Theater by Alix Jeffry
Photograph of "Funnyhouse of a Negro."
"Funnyhouse of a Negro" by Adrienne Kennedy, 1964
Credit: Alix Jeffry © Harvard Theatre Collection
Photograph of the cast of "Dutchman."
Amiri Baraka and "Dutchman" cast, 1964
Credit: Alix Jeffry © Harvard Theatre Collection
Photograph of Morgan Freeman.
Morgan Freeman, 1968
Credit: Alix Jeffry © Harvard Theatre Collection
Multiple exposure photograph of singer Shirley Verrett
Shirley Verrett, 1974
Credit: Alix Jeffry © Harvard Theatre Collection
Photograph of "Funnyhouse of a Negro." Photograph of the cast of "Dutchman." Photograph of Morgan Freeman. Multiple exposure photograph of singer Shirley Verrett

Mar 21, 2022 through Jul 22, 2022

Open to the public

Location

Amy Lowell Room, 2nd Floor
Houghton Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge, MA 02138
See All Hours
Directions to Houghton Library

At the height of the civil rights movement, New York Times photographer Alix Jeffry captured the premieres of two revolutionary plays by Adrienne Kennedy and Amiri Baraka.

Drawing on Jeffry’s archive of over sixty thousand images, In Black and White explores the intersection of the arts and activism at a pivotal moment in Black theater history. The exhibition features original photographs from Dutchman and Funnyhouse of a Negro that Jeffry took during rehearsals and live performances in 1964.

In addition to production photos, portraits by Jeffry of pioneering Black artists of the 1960s and ‘70s will be on view in Houghton's ground floor gallery. Notable subjects include

  • Harry Belafonte
  • Morgan Freeman
  • James Earl Jones
  • Leontyne Price
  • Shirley Verrett

This exhibition was curated by Dale Stinchcomb, Assistant Curator of the Harvard Theatre Collection, from the Alix Jeffry Archive, a gift of Frederick R. Koch and Jeffry’s partner, Mary Alice Morris.

Download the exhibition brochure.

Planning to visit?

In Black and White is on view March 21 – July 22, 2022. The exhibition is open to all visitors; face coverings are recommended. Please see Harvard Library's Visitor Access Page for the most up-to-date information about visiting the library.