Overcoming Hateful Things:
Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is proud to present the premiere of Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery, a traveling exhibit from the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University.

This exhibit will run from June 3 – September 3, 2023.

The Overcoming Hateful Things: Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery, beginning June 3, 2023. This new exhibit explores the Jim Crow system, the African American experience through the Jim Crow era, and the legacies of the Jim Crow system in modern society. Most importantly, the exhibit shows the ways African Americans pushed back against racial injustice. This exhibit, which places objects in their proper historical context, cultivates understanding and empathy for victims of racial intolerance throughout history to the modern day. This exhibition confronts race, race relations, and racial inequality issues while providing an important form of outreach for the Jim Crow Museum to further its mission and impact across the US and internationally.

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Accessing the Exhibit

To visit the exhibit, visitors will need a special free ticket, which can be added to their general admission ticket when planning their visit online or at the Museum’s front desk. Some of the artifacts and media pieces in the exhibit contain mature themes, images, and language. Because of this, the exhibit is not recommended for children under 12, and all children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Inside the Exhibit

We invite you to preview a selection of artifacts that will be showcased in the exhibit. This exhibit is designed to approach the sensitive subject of race with tact and sensitivity, in order to foster empathy, understanding, and productive dialogue. The preview will offer a glimpse into the diversity and complexity of the artifacts that will be featured in the exhibit, providing an opportunity to reflect upon and engage with the difficult history of racial inequality in our society.

Information for Community Group Scheduling

This exhibit is available for group scheduling for community groups, DEI training, corporate development and teams. To schedule, please use the provided link.

Some of the artifacts and media pieces in the Overcoming Hateful Things exhibit contain explicit images of violence, offensive language, and other graphic and explicit historical content. Some viewers may find the subject matter offensive or disturbing.

About the Jim Crow Museum

The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery is the nation’s largest publicly accessible collection of artifacts of intolerance. The Museum contextualizes the dreadful impact of Jim Crow laws and customs. The  Museum uses objects of intolerance to teach tolerance and promote a more just society.