American Negro Exposition facts for kids

The American Negro Exposition, also known as the Black World's Fair, was a special event held in Chicago in 1940. It celebrated 75 years since slavery ended in the United States in 1865, after the American Civil War. This fair showed off the amazing achievements and contributions of African Americans.

History of the Fair

The idea for the American Negro Exposition came from James Washington, a real estate developer. He wanted to create this fair because African Americans faced unfair treatment at the 1933 Century of Progress fair.

The fair officially opened on July 4, 1940. President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the fair by pressing a button from his home. Important speakers on opening day included Chicago's mayor, Edward Joseph Kelly, and Postmaster General James A. Farley.

The exposition took place at the Chicago Coliseum. It featured 120 different exhibits. James W. Washington was the president of the fair. It received money from the U.S. Congress and the Illinois General Assembly. Truman Gibson, who was part of President Roosevelt's "Black Cabinet" (a group of African American advisors), was the fair's executive director.

What You Could See at the Fair

It cost 25 cents to get into the fair. Organizers hoped that 2 million people would visit.

One of the main attractions was an art exhibit. It had 300 paintings and drawings. The New York Times newspaper called it "the largest showing of the work of Negro artists ever assembled."

The fair also had a copy of the Lincoln Tomb and Monument from Springfield, Illinois. Many government groups and even the country of Liberia had exhibits. There was a special section that showed the work of Black authors.

The exposition is dominated by a replica of the Lincoln Tomb and Monument in Springfield, Ill. Exhibits include representation from most of the Federal departments and agencies, the city, the Board of Education and the Republic of Liberia. One section features the work of Negro authors...Almost every day until closing time on Labor Day, Sept. 2, has been set aside to honor some State, organization, or Negro.

—The New York Times

There was also a Hall of Fame. It honored important African Americans. Artist William Edouard Scott painted 24 murals for the event. He finished them in three months. The artist Elizabeth Catlett won first place for her sculpture "Negro Mother and Child."

Writer Margaret Walker entered a poetry contest. Her poem spoke about equality and the rights of African Americans. It asked America to recognize the contributions and humanity of Black people.

Many musical performances took place. Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes wrote a musical called Jubilee: Cavalcade of the Negro Theater just for the fair. Duke Ellington and his orchestra also performed. There was even a swing version of the opera The Chimes of Normandy.

Who Participated

Many different groups and businesses took part in the fair.

Organizations

Businesses

Amazing Dioramas

The fair had 33 large dioramas in a section called the "Court of Dioramas." Dioramas are like 3D models that show a scene. These were five feet wide and made from wood, plaster, and masonite. They showed important moments and contributions of African Americans throughout history. Topics ranged from ancient Egypt to World War I.

Commercial artist Charles C. Dawson led the team that created these dioramas. They were only on display for the two months of the fair. These dioramas later inspired local teachers to improve how they taught African American history.

Here are some of the dioramas that were shown:

After the fair, 13 of the original 33 dioramas were lost. Tuskegee University received the remaining 20 dioramas from the State of Illinois. They were first placed in the university's old The George Washington Carver Museum and then moved to the main library. Many of them were damaged, so they were stored away for many years.

Tuskegee's Legacy Museum later created a new exhibit called "20 Dioramas: Brightly-Lit Windows, Magically Different." This exhibit uses the restored dioramas to show the "rich past of African-Americans." Dr. Jontyle Robinson, the museum curator, used this restoration work to help "improve diversity in the field of conservation." This is because only a small number of people who restore art are African American. Restoring one diorama cost between $25,000 and $30,000 in 2018.

CBS Sunday Morning reporter Rita Braver did a story about the dioramas. She hoped it would help find the 13 lost dioramas.

Legacy of the Fair

In 2015, the African American Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago created an exhibition. It showed objects, images, and texts from the original American Negro Exposition. This helped people remember the important history of the fair.