Join us for the opening of “Douglass, Baldwin, Harrington: The Collections of Walter O. Evans at Beinecke Library.” David Blight, Sterling Professor of History at Yale, will introduce Dr. Walter O. Evans, who will speak about his life as a collector. A reception will follow.

“Douglass, Baldwin, Harrington,” on view from January 26-July 7, 2024, explores extraordinary materials collected by Walter and Linda Evans and now in the Beinecke’s care. Celebrating three towering figures of Black history, art and culture—Frederick Douglass, James Baldwin, and Ollie Harrington—this exhibition showcases how the Evans collections, taken together, bring political and cultural history into close engagement with arts and letters. These collections and the figures they feature demonstrate powerful ways creative work may serve as a form of social justice advocacy in ways that continue to inspire. “Douglass, Baldwin, Harrington” honors Walter and Linda Evans and their work advocating for, documenting, and celebrating Black arts in America. Their ongoing leadership in public dialogue about the need for more inclusive American arts and cultural heritage collections, and for greater public access to the work of Black artists, serves as an inspiration to all of us.

4pm Remarks by David Blight and Walter O. Evans
5pm Reception