The Whole World Was Watching

"The whole world was watching" during the civil rights movement. The Menil museum located in Houston’s fourth ward district displays photographs that were captured during the era of the movement.

Texas Southern University students visited the museum for the first time and were reminded of the impact of the Civil Rights movement. The room was in silence as a lesson of their history was displayed in the room.

“These photographs show the importance of these photographs for racial politics is very much informed with what you’re reading about in Civil Rights,” says White.

Michelle White, the museum curator handpicked each photo that displays the true emotion of the movement. Thirty-six black and white photos fill the exhibit telling the powerful story of hope and the violence that African Americans endured.
“We don’t do labels, we don’t believe in telling you how you should see the art,” said White.

The Menil Collections of civil rights photographs is more “grittier” than other museums, these photos focus on the emotion of the moment and no words are needed to explain the black and white photos.

“A show like this it makes it a little more complicated; I wanted images that could communicate to the viewer without words,” said White.

The focus for the TSU students was to see the impact of the Civil Rights movement and the association that this museum has with their university.

“This has everything to do with TSU history and what they did we look through the collection and what we found is a black separatist lecture in 1970,” said White. “We took footage from TSU and place it on the surveillance TV during the exhibit” said White.
The students from the university were surprised that TSU has such an impact across Houston from first sit in at a local diner to the recognitions of the Civil Rights movement.
The Menil Collection museum will be displaying, The Whole World Was Watching collection until September 25.