1966 marked the centennial year of Fisk University, the oldest institution for higher learning in Nashville, Tennessee. It also represented a moment of transition after the retirement of Aaron Douglas, founder and chair of Fisk’s Art Department and a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. The appointment of David C. Driskell as Douglas’s successor ushered in a broadening view of the African diasporic arts through instructional innovation and the expansion of the university’s collections, artist residency programs, and exhibitions. This vision was shared and further realized by faculty members such as Robert Hall, Earl J. Hooks, Stephanie Pogue, and Greg Ridley, among others.

Kindred Spirits frames a critical timeline linking Driskell’s tenure (1966–76) with the tenure of one of his preeminent colleagues, professor Earl J. Hooks (1969–99). Co-organized by Fisk University Galleries and the Frist Art Museum, this exhibition will feature more than 50 objects, including archival images and interview documentation, and will act as a companion exhibition to David C. Driskell and Friends: Creativity, Collaboration, and Friendship.

Organized by the Frist Art Museum and Fisk University Galleries and co-curated by Michael Ewing, Frist Art Museum associate curator, and Jamaal B. Sheats, Fisk University Galleries director and curator

Walter Henry Williams, Jr. Roots, 1975–77. Oil and mixed media on wood board; 47 3/4 x 60 7/8 in. Courtesy of Fisk University Galleries, Nashville, TN. 1991.2211. Photo: Jerry Atnip