Five years after its 2018 debut, former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page and his daughter, Giorgi Page-Smith, director of the Diane and Alan Page Collection, are once again presenting “Testify: Americana from Slavery to Today” at the Minneapolis Central Library.
The exhibit will feature a number of pieces from the Diane and Alan Page collection of African American art and artifacts. The Pages spent decades contributing to the collection, resulting in a body of works that seek to amplify race relations and representation from present to past. Beyond the chance to better understand Black history in the United States, “Testify” aims to present opportunities for visitors to share their own experiences.
“We ended up finding things all over the country. In the beginning, there was no design or reason or rhyme to it all, but my wife would collect artifacts that struck her, that spoke to her sense of justice, fairness or unfairness,” Page told MPR about the exhibit.
This time around, the comprehensive exhibit features renewed calls to action—specifically through a series of Tuesday workshops to be held throughout the duration of the exhibit. The goal of the workshops is to connect participants with local organizations and advocacy opportunities through content focused on various social justice issues. The full schedule of events can be found on the library’s website.
“Testify: Americana from Slavery to Today” will be on display at Hennepin County Library’s Minneapolis Central location in the Cargill Gallery from Feb. 1-March 29.
