The history of photography and filmmaking in Chicago in the second half of the twentieth century is one of collaborative and collective endeavors, shaped by the city’s unique character and its cultural, political, and social transformations. This project, which began as an exhibition back in 2018, sought to reexamine and celebrate this history, as reflected through the Art Institute of Chicago’s extraordinary photography collection and its commitment to Chicago’s artists. By extension, this publication was made possible through the collaboration and expertise of many people committed to preserving and carrying on the legacy of this work.

My sincere gratitude goes to James Rondeau, President and Eloise W. Martin Director, and Sarah Guernsey, Deputy Director and Senior Vice President for Curatorial Affairs, for their leadership and support. Deepest thanks as well are due to Matthew S. Witkovsky, Richard and Ellen Sandor Chair and Curator of Photography and Media and Vice President for Strategic Art Initiatives, who encouraged and propelled this project from the start. In 2018 the Terra Foundation provided the initial grant for the exhibition, as part of its Art Design Chicago initiative. The Foundation’s ongoing support, under the guidance of Jennifer Sigenthaler and shepherded internally by Jennifer Oatess, Senior Director, Institutional Philanthropy, has made this publication possible.

This publication, like the 2018 exhibition, pays tribute to the community of artists whose work and stories form this rich history. They include Billy Abernathy (Fundi), Alton Abraham, Ayé Aton, Eleanor Boyer, Darryl Cowherd, Bob Crawford, Mikki Ferrill, Robert Ford, Ted Gray, James E. Hinton, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Kenji Kanasaka, Kartemquin Films, Don Klugman, Jeff Kreines, Peter Kuttner, Roy Lewis, Danny Lyon, Luis Medina, Marvin E. Newman, Richard Nickel, Ozier Muhammad, Tom Palazzolo, Gordon Parks, Karen Peugh, Robert A. “Bobby” Sengstacke, Don Sparks, Frank Stewart, James Stricklin, Sun Ra, Onikwa Bill Wallace, Ted Williams, and Robert Earl Wilson. Thanks are also due to family members of artists who supported the project at various stages, including Romi Crawford, Vera Ferris, Mike Sparks, Steven Sparks, and Marita Joyce Stricklin.

The written contributions of authors and artists brought depth and insight to the works, connecting them to Chicago’s broader cultural, political, and social landscape. I am grateful to Romi Crawford, Grace Deveney, Tempestt Hazel, Tonika Johnson, and Natalie Y. Moore for their thoughtful texts as well as their patience as this publication was developed over the last five years. The scholarship here began with interviews generously granted by Mikki Ferrill and a public roundtable with Darryl Cowherd, Roy Lewis, Ozier Muhammad, and the late James Stricklin, reproduced in this publication.

Individuals and organizations across Chicago and beyond shared their insights and provided loans and permission to reproduce works, including John Corbett and Jim Dempsey at Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago; David Lusenhop; Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., and staff at the Gordon Parks Foundation, Pleasantville, New York; Dennis Sears and the team at the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Nancy Watrous and staff at the Chicago Film Archives.

Dawoud Bey, Romi Crawford, Corinne Jennings, Amy Mooney, Elizabeth Siegel, Lynne Warren, Deborah Willis, and Rebecca Zorach offered valuable guidance with research and resources in the project’s early stages. Barbara Diener, Jim Iska, Sylvie Penichon, and Becca Schlossberg in Photography and Media at the Art Institute were instrumental in shaping the original exhibition. Jennifer Cordileone, Jessica Hough, and Alisa Swindell provided significant research assistance.

In Publishing at the Art Institute, led by Katie Reilly, current and former staff members Lauren Makholm, Lisa Meyerowitz, Joseph Mohan, Gregory Nosan, Amy Peltz, Armando Román, and Kit Shields shepherded the publication with expertise. Pauline López provided valuable photo-editing assistance, and Garland Kirkpatrick’s elegant design shaped this book in its previous incarnation as a print catalogue. In Experience Design, led by Michael Neault, appreciation goes to Trevin Alonzo, Josh Andrews, Zach Garwood, nikhil trivedi, and Alexis Vogel for their work in expanding the accessibility of these materials through digital platforms. In Imaging, led by Bonnie Rosenberg, Juan Molina Hernández and Kaitlyn Fultz-Campion ensured high-quality reproductions of the works in the Art Institute’s collection as well as never-before-published material. In the Ryan Learning Center, led by Robin Schnur, Corinne Rose and Susan Kuliak helped spread the word about the publication as a resource to school educators and the Chicago Public Library.

Finally, immense gratitude goes to the broader community of cultural workers, curators, and scholars whose engagement with Chicago photography has helped illuminate its significance in recent decades. This book stands on the foundation of their work, and we are honored to continue the conversation.

Michal Raz-Russo
Programs Director
Gordon Parks Foundation, Pleasantville, New York