‘History in Their Hands’: Cleveland Exhibit Celebrates Legacy Of Black Photographers In Ohio

The exhibition is titled History in Their Hands: Black Photographers in Cleveland, Ohio, 1968 – Present.

The Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center has launched a new exhibition showcasing the work of Black photographers in the Cleveland area. Titled “History in Their Hands: Black Photographers in Cleveland, Ohio, 1968—Present,” the exhibit is located inside the Bingham-Hanna Mansion.

According to Dr. Regennia William, a member of the Distinguished Scholar of African American History and Culture Curator of Community Partnerships and Traveling Exhibitions, the new exhibition is meant to honor Black contributions to America’s long history.

Williams told ABC News 5 Cleveland, “These photographers have traveled and lived all over the country and made friends for Black History all over the world.”

The exhibition includes photos of prominent historical leaders such as Jesse Jackson, the former Cleveland City Council President and Cleveland NAACP President George Forbes, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and others.

Charles Pinkney, a 91-year-old local painter and photographer, expressed how honored he is to have contributed to “History in Their Hands.” His career as a photographer took off in the late 1970s, and he reflected on his beginnings that brought him to today.

“I was in the darkroom where I spent a lot of time making pictures, and the phone rang,” Pinkney recalled. “The chief photographer for the Pittsburgh Press was on the other end and said, ‘Do you still want that job?’”

Pinkney then became the Pittsburgh Press’ first full-time Black photographer. He took the job because the “main thing I was trying to overcome was stereotypes. I knew that all Black women didn’t look like Aunt Jemima. And I knew all Black men were not like Uncle Ben. I want to show how beautiful we were,” he explained.

“I wanted my pictures to be truthful, to be honest and be fair. I try to take pictures that have some kind of meaning -– that tell a story.”

Pinkney is one of six photographers to have their work displayed in “History in Their Hands.” Some of his portraits include influential Black history figures, such as playwright August Wilson and Judge Stephanie Tubbs Jones, but many of his featured works also center around everyday people in Cleveland. Pinkney and the other photographers in the exhibit have curated photos rooted in authentic and moving moments, as well as historically and culturally relevant. The exhibition will run through the summer of 2025.