on view now
One Million Strong: A Photographic Tribute of the Million Man March
By Roderick Terry
Roderick Terry, Positive Reflections, Photograph, 1995
On display in the Kennedy Gallery
through Sept. 26, 2020
Sponsored by Simmons Bank
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One Million Strong: A Photographic Tribute of the Million Man March celebrates black men from all over America who, on October 16, 1995, came together in Washington, D.C., for a day of atonement and reconciliation.
Roderick Terry, the photographer, captured moments of excitement, jubilance, thoughtfulness, seriousness, togetherness, and peacefulness during this massive demonstration.
“This exhibition marks the 25th anniversary of the Million Man March and calls viewers to reflect upon the men who attended this march; their hopes, dreams, and goals, and if these aspirations were accomplished,” Curator Chaney Jewell said. “I hope that viewers can take away from this exhibition the feeling of hope and togetherness that the men experienced gathering for the Million Man March.”
A 1983 graduate of Dollarway High School in Pine Bluff, Terry earned a degree in political science from Hendrix College in Conway in 1986, and a juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1989. Terry has lived in Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years.
Roderick Terry, By Any Means Necessary, Photograph, 1995
The March was a clarion call for black men to take control of their destines. It ignited a movement among African-American men towards self-realization, character building and empowerment, bringing new ideas, strategies and solutions to the problems that beset black communities. W.E.B. DuBois’ statement “There is within this world no such force as the force of a man determined to rise,” resounds today with truth and urgency.
The time is ripe for African-American men to rise above cultural stereotypes and social and economic deprivation, and, through brotherhood, build a new nation based on equal justice, personal responsibility, and hard work.
One Million Strong is a photo documentary of the Million Man March. I have attempted to capture in these photographs the hope, emotion and struggle that defines the African-American male experience and our desire to unite and uplift the black race. I hope the courage of these “million” men, who came to Washington to protest the status quo and demand that their voices be heard, inspires you.
