W.E.B. Du Bois and the 1900 Paris Exhibition
W.E.B. Du Bois wanted the world to know the gains African Americans had made since the Civil War, as well as their plight as second-class citizens. In 1899, Daniel A.P. Murray, an African American researcher and historian at the Library of Congress, worked with Du Bois and others to put together pictures and other items to show the state of African Americans as the 20th century began.
Their award-winning “Negro Exhibition” debuted in Paris, France, in 1900. It featured 500 photos of African American communities, successful black businesses and schools, as well as books and pamphlets by African American authors.
For more on African American experience and achievements in the U.S. and elsewhere visit Discover Black Heritage , a travel guide to black history and culture
1 Comment
This history and the importance of the Daniel AP Murray Center within Library of Congress is integral to bringing to light all of American history together into one legacy that we all share. This is a step in assuring that future generations know the contribution their ancestors have made. I hope to bring discussion and clarity to the importance of the 1853 autobiography, Twelve Years a Slave to the DAPMurry Center at the LOC in the near future along with the story of T. Thomas Fortune.