The James Wise Gallery at Norfolk State University has unveiled "Define Yourself!", a traveling exhibition organized in partnership with the Chrysler Museum of Art. Inspired by James Baldwin’s "The Fire Next Time," the show features 15 works by artists including Kara Walker, Emma Amos, and Carl Van Vechten that explore themes of Black identity, media representation, and double consciousness. The initiative is part of the Atlantic Coast Cohort, a program funded by the Art Bridges Foundation to share museum collections with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
This collaboration represents a significant shift in institutional practice, moving beyond traditional museum walls to engage diverse student audiences through curatorial involvement and interdisciplinary programming. By integrating social media outreach, fashion shows, and student-led interpretations, the project fosters visual literacy and community engagement. It highlights the growing importance of partnerships between major art museums and HBCUs in diversifying the narrative of American art history.