Bey, Two American Projects

Blending portraiture with evocative landscapes, this compelling volume delves into Dawoud Bey’s exploration of race, memory, history, and geography through photography.

Dawoud Bey (b. 1953) is an acclaimed American photographer recognized for his impactful portraits of often-overlooked individuals and his engagement with pressing social and political issues. Alongside his contemporary focus, Bey has also turned to the past for inspiration. This publication brings together two of his significant recent projects that directly engage with African American history. The Birmingham Project (2012) pays tribute to the six young victims of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, through poignant paired portraits that reflect on the tragedy’s legacy. In contrast, Night Coming Tenderly, Black (2017) consists of large-format black-and-white landscapes that offer a meditative reimagining of locations once part of the Underground Railroad in Ohio.

The book includes insightful essays that situate these two series within Bey’s broader artistic practice, examining their interconnections and how they navigate themes of racial identity, historical memory, and the enduring presence of the past in contemporary life.