BALTIMORE, MD.- UMBC’s Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery announces the exhibition Picturing Mobility: Black Tourism and Leisure During the Jim Crow Era, an exhibition curated by Elizabeth Patton, on view from September 2 through December 19.

What did it mean to pursue leisure and travel as a Black American during the Jim Crow era? This exhibition explores this question by presenting photographs, oral histories, audio, video, and travel ephemera related to Black tourism and leisure activities, primarily from the mid- Atlantic region, from the 1920s to 1960s. These artifacts represent more than personal memories; they make clear that both documenting and participating in leisure and mobility served as a powerful form of resistance that insisted on the right for Black people to move freely and embrace joy and relaxation in a world shaped by exclusion and segregation.

The Jim Crow era was characterized by intense racial segregation, imposing significant limitations on Black individuals’ mobility and dignity. Following the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision, segregation became ingrained in American life, as it was enforced through laws and societal customs. Public leisure spaces such as parks, beaches, pools, hotels, and restaurants were often segregated. Traveling could be humiliating and dangerous for Black people, which impacted leisure habits and options. Consequently, careful planning was essential, and guidebooks like The Negro Travelers’ Green Book emerged to help travelers find safe accommodations and welcoming leisure spaces.

Historically, Black people have used photography as a powerful tool to counter negative stereotypes. This exhibition features snapshots as opposed to posed, professional studio portraits, to showcase how everyday people documented moments of their personal lives. The photographs show mobility through moments of relaxation, happiness, amusement, and community, challenging the dominant narrative of Black life during Jim Crow as defined primarily by restriction and struggle. This is not an attempt to overlook the reality of Black life, instead, this exhibition recognizes the power of these images to affirm Black humanity and offer meaningful insights into life lived fully despite the oppressive nature of segregation.

This exhibition is curated by Elizabeth Patton with organizational support from Beth Saunders and Emily Cullen, with exhibition design by Tony Venne and Emily Cullen.