College of Marin has opened a permanent exhibition of work by Emory Douglas, the artist who served as minister of culture for the Black Panther Party and created the look of the party's newspaper. The college says it is the first and only permanent exhibition of his work anywhere in the world.
The collection is in the Center for Student Success, Room 200, on the Kentfield campus at 835 College Ave. An opening celebration was held Thursday evening, Oct. 8, with speakers, live music and a chance to view the work. It was free and open to the public, according to the college.
Who Emory Douglas is
Douglas's drawings and posters filled the covers and pages of the Black Panther newspaper, and they became the party's visual voice for its politics and community programs, the college said. Bay City News, reporting on the opening, noted that his work helped shape the party's identity and spread its calls for liberation.
He is still a working artist. The college describes his recent work as political art about social justice struggles around the world, made as a call for solidarity among oppressed and colonized people.
A longer tie to the campus
This isn't Douglas's first show at the school. In October 2023 the College of Marin Fine Arts Gallery hosted "The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas: Black Liberation, Global Justice," according to the college library.
The new permanent collection was organized with the college's Umoja Equity Institute, its Umoja Learning Community and the College of Marin Library. A kickoff event on Monday, Oct. 5, introduced students to the history of the Black Panther Party and Douglas's art ahead of the opening.
How to visit
The work is housed on the Kentfield campus. People who need accessibility support for campus events can contact the college's Student Activities and Advocacy Office at (415) 485-9376.