TESTIFY: Americana from Slavery to Today Opening Reception

TESTIFY: Americana from Slavery to Today will hold an opening reception in the Cargill Gallery at the Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central featuring a brief musical performance by local gospel legend Robert Robinson and special guests.

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer Justice Alan Page and his family are again presenting their exhibit “TESTIFY: Americana from Slavery to Today” at Minneapolis Central Library’s Cargill Gallery. Directed by his daughter Georgi Page-Smith, selections from this extraordinary collection of African-American art and artifacts will be on view from Feb. 1 to March 29, 2023, accompanied by TESTIFY Tuesday workshops and expanded mainstage programming. The family hopes the exhibit will help bridge divides, deepen dialogue and encourage action on justice.

The exhibit features 100-plus objects of oppression and expression. A steel collar from 1820s Virginia is displayed next to a gilded KKK Plate and an elaborate candelabra. A Civil War-era banner reads “Our Country Shall Be One Country” on one side and “Uncle Abe We Will Not Forget You” on the other. Powerful works by artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Charles White and Clementine Hunter help reclaim African American narratives.