Museum Exhibit Seeks Names for Civil Rights Photos

The Smith Robertson Museum invites Jackson residents to identify individuals captured in historic movement photography.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Museum Exhibit Seeks Names for Civil Rights Photos

Live Poll

Should museums prioritize identifying ordinary people in historical photographs over documenting famous figures?

The Smith Robertson Museum has opened an exhibit featuring 51 contact sheets of civil rights photographs, many of which depict unidentified people. The museum is calling on the public to help document these historic figures.

Why it matters

This project aims to preserve the identities of everyday participants in the civil rights movement whose names have been missing from the historical record for over 60 years. By crowdsourcing identification, the museum ensures these stories are properly credited.

The Proof Positive exhibit features 51 contact sheets and remains open to the public through December 31, 2026. Visitors can contribute to the historical record for a museum admission price ranging from $4 to $7.

The players

Smith Robertson Museum

This museum is located in Jackson and is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the African American community in Mississippi.

Stanford University

This major research university maintains significant archival collections, including the photographs featured in the current exhibit.

The details

Visitors at the Smith Robertson Museum in Jackson can use gallery kiosks or paper cards to identify people in the images, which are linked to the collections at Stanford University. Once identified, the museum facilitates sending a print of the photograph to the person's family.

October 27, 2026: Proof Positive exhibit opened at the museum.
December 31, 2026: Exhibit closes at the Smith Robertson Museum.

Political Context

The museum project works to fill gaps in the visual history of the 1961 Jackson civil rights events, moving beyond official records to document individual participants. Critics of such projects often argue that historical crowdsourcing requires rigorous verification to ensure accuracy in the archives.

Residents visiting the museum can directly contribute to local history by providing names for photographs that have gone unnamed for decades. This process helps families recover lost visual records of their ancestors' involvement in the movement.

The takeaway

Engaging with local archives can help preserve the legacy of grassroots movements for future generations. Visitors are encouraged to review the contact sheets to see if they recognize family members or neighbors.

What happens next

Organizers plan to tour the Proof Positive exhibit to other locations throughout Mississippi following the conclusion of the current showcase in Jackson.