From Dreams To Reality - Justin Kemerling




Description - Poster

••• My good friend Dr. Patrick Jones visits Doane College to guest lecture on Martin Luther King, Jr. His emphasis is on a global vision for human rights and racial justice here in Nebraska.

For the poster, we wanted to capture the visual style of the Harlem Renaissance paintings created by Aaron Douglas. We wanted a sense of modern revolutionary spirit and we wanted to call attention to the injustice that still exists today.

We didn't want the neat & tidy "santa claus" image of King that is too often portrayed. Jones discusses King's vision in "Beyond Vietnam" terms — ending racism, militarism and materialism, on a local level and in the world. The ideas of a revolution that question the very core of our American values and how those values apply to race and class in this country.

With the third highest black poverty rate in the nation, Omaha represents a critical junction, as the city tries to create a new vision of prosperity, how will we all continue to move toward equality and justice not just in our values, but in our actions.

More Info:
Omaha in Black and White: Poverty amid prosperity
North Omaha Development Project
King's Beyond Vietnam Speech
Aaron Douglas
Freedom Road Blog

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