Walking into what seems like an empty corridor from afar in the Kennedy Library turns out to be an exhibit that provides a glimpse into a time where some Americans struggled to gain their civil rights.
“Snapshots of Equality,” a special month-long exhibit hosted by the Kennedy Library, is an attempt to endorse the preservation of both local and regional manuscript collections that recognize black history and events in honor of Black History Month.
“I think it’s important because it will stimulate the preservation of history in our own families and help with research in our own pursuits or areas of study,” said Catherine Trujillo, assistant in special collections.
The exhibit has several black-and-white photographs from the 40th annual National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) convention held in Los Angeles in July 1949.
An unknown amateur photographer, who was an attendee of the convention and was speculated to have been a delegate, took the snapshots.
The photographs are of various attendees as well as the venues where some of the meetings were held.
The convention had approximately 500 delegates who attended from more than 40 different states. Attendees of the convention advocated for the advancement of civil rights in the United States for all groups and especially for the rights of blacks.
The NAACP was founded in 1909 and is the oldest civil rights organization in America. Their goal is to ensure equality for all and eliminate racial discrimination and the hatred that comes along with it.
The gallery also had newspaper clippings written about the convention and published primarily in the Los Angeles Times during the time period.
“What makes the snapshots unique and historical is that they were taken from the perspective of the attendee,” Trujillo said.
The other main portion of the exhibit is a section dedicated to Alice Mae Martin, a black woman who was known for her extensive community service in San Luis Obispo.
“She was very interesting because she came to San Luis Obispo during World War II and took it upon herself to go out and help within the community,” project curator Judy Drake said.
Martin had only a sixth-grade education but was an avid reader and is credited for serving more than 10,000 hours of community service for San Luis Obispo.
The exhibit includes things that represent her life, such as letters, poetry, photographs and personal items that were found at a swap meet.