As part of America 250—a national celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—Louisiana’s Old State Capitol has asked the Louisiana Photographic Society to create a visual exhibit examining our state’s role in the practice of racial segregation. This juried exhibition, which will open in January 2026 and encompass two rooms in the Old State Capitol, is a tremendous honor and will take a lot of effort in the coming year.
The inspiration for this exhibit is photographer Richard Frishman’s Ghosts of Segregation, previously displayed at the David J. Sencer CDC Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, and photographer Gordon Parks’ Segregation Story. While our exhibition will lean heavily into documentary and photojournalism styles, the Old State Capitol has not placed any limitations. Feel free to be creative with your composition and photographic style. More than anything, representatives from the Old State Capitol want the images to prompt viewers to learn and think about our state’s history, including those moments and periods that challenge us.
In the coming months, please begin thinking about your role in this important exhibit and look for information and ideas, which will be regularly posted on the LPS Member Facebook page and in the weekly e-mail and newsletter. For your own inspiration, please look at the images in Frishman and Parks' exhibitions and review sites like Louisiana Folklife and the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail.
The competition gallery is now open in Visual Pursuits and will remain open for at least the next twelve months. Each submitting member is guaranteed at least one acceptance. Still, as with other public exhibitions, you should only submit your best work. Our submission deadline is anticipated to be around June 2025, which will allow ample time for notification and to prepare our works for installation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the working group listed below.
Thank you so much for your attention and participation!
George Carpenter george233@cox.net
Marilyn Goff mary1marilyn1@gmail.com
Linda Medine medinelinda@gmail.com
Stacey Pearson staceypearsonphotography@gmail.com