What do we learn when Black life is in focus?
The work of a university is to explore rich, complex questions. Black Lives in Focus is a University-wide initiative that offers the opportunity to explore one such question — What do we learn when Black life is in focus? — while amplifying and showcasing Black lives and Black voices. The University of Pittsburgh Black Lives in Focus initiative launches in Fall 2021 with four inaugural projects:
- a multimedia exhibition of art and text;
- the “Say Her Name” Memorial Gown project;
- Black Built Pitt, a multi-media tour of historically important sites of Black history on the University's Pittsburgh campus; and
- the establishment of this website, a hub for the events and programs across disciplines at Pitt that put Black lives in focus.
Black Lives in Focus will continue to grow; related projects and events can be found in the Calendar section of this site.
Questions? Contact blacklivesinfocus@pitt.edu
Organizers: Black Lives in Focus is organized by Professor Bria Walker (Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences Department of Theatre Arts) and Dr. Sylvia Rhor Samaniego (University Art Gallery), under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr. Clyde Wilson Pickett, and with support from the Center for Creativity, a broad range of University representatives, and Pittsburgh community representatives.
Inaugural Projects
- Black Lives in Focus: The Exhibition
-
The exhibition highlights 21 artworks and 10 text responses that explore the richness and complexity of the Black experience in America.
- Say Her Name Memorial Gown
-
A stunning, woven art piece that illustrates the vibrant boldness of Black women while providing searing focus on the violence, horror, and terror that has plagued Black women in America.
- Black Built Pitt
-
This digital archive explores and highlights Black historical events at sites around the University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh campus.