Writer and curator Catherine McKinley presents an unprecedented visual history of African women told in striking and subversive historical photographs. McKinley draws on her extensive collection of historical and contemporary photos to present a visual history spanning a hundred-year arc. “The African Lookbook” captures the dignity, playfulness, grandeur, and resistance of African women across centuries. These photos tell the story of how the sewing machine and the camera became powerful tools for women’s self-expression, revealing a truly glorious display of everyday beauty.

Artist, writer, and director Dario Calmese made history as the first Black photographer to shoot a cover for Vanity Fair. He is also the host of the widely-acclaimed podcast “The Institute of Black Imagination.”

Signed books available from The Novel Neighbor: https://thenovelneighbor.indielite.org/book/9781620403532.

Presented in partnership by the St. Louis County Library and HEC Media.