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LJAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF
Neville Murray,
For more information please call (402) 502-5291
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| EXHIBITIONS: Rudy Smith |
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Civil RIghts marches in Omaha Nebraska 1960's
Online Exhibition "African American Quilts from the Robert and Helen Cargo Collection," past exhibitions click on the photos for more infomation
"Anonymous" African American Portraits
“Dinner at Aunt Connie’s” Jazz Musician Icons
Rudy Smith "In Our Own Image"
Bernard Stanley Hoyes "Lamentations & Celebrations"
“Islands of Spirits
Juried Nebraska Art Educators Exhibition
African American
Ibiyinka Olufemi Alao
1st Annual African American
2nd Annual African American
"Flight For Freedom" The Tuskegee Airmen
Courage Under Fire 113 year History of Omaha's Black Firefighters
Loves Jazz & Art Center (LJAC) 402-502-5291 Omaha NE 68110-2219 Copyright © 2007 Love Jazz & Arts Center. All rights reserved. |
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Rudy Smith "In Our Own Image"
Rudy Smith Interview
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The “Struggle for civil rights in Omaha during the 1960s” is an exhibition that documents events during the Civil Rights Movement in Omaha Nebraska, United States. This exhibition draws from stories, oral histories, and photographs collected from various local sources including: the archives of Omaha photographer Rudy Smith, The Omaha World Herald, the Durham Western Heritage Museum (Bostwick Collection) Omaha Parks & Recreation and local Omahans About the Artist: This exhibition features Ultracrome large Format Photographs by Omaha’s most respected African American Photographer Rudy Smith. Keeping in the theme of the Love jazz and Arts Center, images were selected that showcase important performances by local and international artists. Rudy Smith has worked as a photographer for the Omaha World herald for over thirty-five years. Born in Philadelphia, he moved to Omaha at the age of six. He is the second oldest out of eight children. At the age of 16, his stepfather died and his oldest brother went into the military. He was left to take care of his family. "So my mother told me I had to assume responsibility of the household and the family," he said. "So at 16, I began working and taking care and disciplining the other siblings." Although he was busy with work and school, Smith found time to become active in the NAACP prior to his graduation from Central High School. "That set the tone for my entire life," Smith said. "Because as a youth, we were very active in trying to resolve issues of racism and discrimination and every facet of life that we as blacks dealt with-housing, schools, education, employment, unemployment." During his years as an advocate in NAACP, he had the opportunity to move up the ranks from youth council president to college chapter president. He served as an alternate to the National Board of Directors for the organization. He also helped to establish national policies and directions for the youth departments. He won national awards while serving on the board. He won one of the awards two years in a row for the newsletter entitled, "The Soapbox." In 1969, he was the first black to graduate with a communication degree from the university. After graduation, he decided to specialize in photography. He was inspired to go into photography after taking a course in photography at The Gateway and by picking up pointers from people at the Omaha World-Herald. At the Herald, he covered historic events such as riots in Omaha. An extremely modest person, Smith said, "I wanted to be the best at what I did. I knew I could not do it by myself." So with prayer and faith, he succeeded.
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