Bob Adelman: Mine Eyes Have Seen

​WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC presented an historic collection of photographs representing the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s by award winning photographer, Bob Adelman. In honor of Martin Luther King's birthday (January 15th) and Black History Month (February) the gallery highlighted significant photos representing a time in U.S. history, 45 years ago. On exhibit were fifty-five photographs including iconic portraits of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and images of civil and social unrest in the streets of New York, Washington D.C. and the deep South. At the time, Bob Adelman, who graduated with a law degree from Harvard, was drawn to photography with the same passion he had for justice and his study of philosophy. He captured moments that re-shaped modern American history. He photographed not only the marchers, riots and speeches, but also the fabric of everyday life in rural communities, ghettos and social gatherings. Adelman traveled to cities and documented achievements big and small within the black community, including successful musicians, sports figures, educators, even the first African-American sheriff elected under the Voting Rights Act in Alabama in 1979. As a photographer, Adelman has made extraordinary contributions to our visual history, considering the extent he traversed to chronicle events, photographic essays and distinct individuals.

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The exhibition at WESTWOOD GALLERY NYC was the first time this body of work was shown in a solo gallery exhibition in the 50 year history of the photographer. On April 4, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. King, actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee read from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Beyond Vietnam" speech.