Art Exhibit on Black Panther Challenges Library Patrons to Face Violence of Mass Incarceration

Although libraries are often regarded as spaces for inclusiveness, diversity, and democracy, this hasn’t always been the case in the United States. Using historical examples this article explores the legacy of racism in the United States concerning library access to citizens. This article analyzes a social justice artistic collaboration between artist Jackie Sumell and New York Public Library concerning solitary confinement and the racial disparity of mass incarceration in the United States. Intersections between community education and library exhibits are also discussed