Black Brotha’. Strong Brotha’. Men of Change.

2020 will forever be known as the year the world was introduced to a virus that would change our way of life for years to come.  But it was also the Year of the Woman, as we celebrated the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in this country.

This year, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum will celebrate our men…men of honor, men of creativity, men of faith…Men of Change.  Our men – Black men – are powerhouses of creativity and innovation. They are trailblazers and culture curators like our namesake, Reginald F. Lewis. He knew nothing would be handed to him.  He understood his value and worth and was determined to make sure the business world understood that value as well. He knew he would have to control his destiny, and when the world would not allow him a seat at the table, he decided to build his own table!

In an era where Black male images are predominantly negative, we choose to lift our men and highlight their uniqueness and contributions through our new exhibition, Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. Men of Change was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and made possible through the generous support of the Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

While America generally appreciates African American culture, through this exhibit we invite America to go deeper in their understanding of our culture. We want America to recognize that the images often portrayed are inaccurate representations of the majority.

From Frederick Douglass to Ta-Nehisi Coates; Paul Robeson to Kendrick Lamar; Romare Bearden to Kehinde Wiley. The men in this exhibit represent athleticism, activism, politics, arts, and humanities; all of them changemakers, all of them courageous, all of them making an impact on the whole of our society. Each of them intertwined their life’s work with their life’s purpose.

We pay homage to these men – fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, uncles and friends. We thank them for their example; honor them for their impact. They are not superhuman but often exemplars of humanity.

Despite the images displayed in the media, these men represent the majority of Black men.  In the words of Angie Stone: “Black Brotha, we love ya and we’ll never try to hurt ya, we want ya to know that we’re here for you, forever true, ‘Cause you’re our Black Brotha, strong brotha…” You are our Men of Change!

Terri Lee Freeman
Executive Director
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Men of Change was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and made possible through the generous support of the Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.

Click here to download the Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. Media Kit. For media inquiries, contact Rachel D. Graham at rachel.graham@lewismuseum.org.