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In honor of Juneteenth, the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum will display “A Tribute to Floyd Cooper and Jerry Pinkney.”

Mazza Features Floyd Cooper and Jerry Pinkney in Celebration of Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth, the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum will display “A Tribute to Floyd Cooper and Jerry Pinkney” in the Freed Galleria beginning June 1, 2022.

Juneteenth, a term short for “June Nineteenth,” commemorates the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, to ensure that all enslaved people be freed. Now categorized as a federal holiday, Juneteenth is the longest-running African-American holiday.

Mazza Museum Curator, Dan Chudzinski, said, “In the spirit of Juneteenth, the Mazza Museum is proud to pay tribute to two of our dear friends, Jerry Pinkney and Floyd Cooper, whose tireless work as authors and artists elevated Black voices and brought life to hundreds of books through their unforgettable artwork.”

"Ain’t Nobody a Stranger to Me" pages 14-15, Jerry Pinkney
“Ain’t Nobody a Stranger to Me” pages 14-15, Jerry Pinkney

Some featured works include images from Floyd Cooper’s “Juneteenth for Mazie” and Jerry Pinkney’s “Ain’t Nobody a Stranger to Me.”

The legacy of these artists extends around the world to fellow authors and illustrators, children, and all other book lovers. Chudzinski explained the exhibit is a commemoration of Jerry Pinkey and Floyd Cooper and a celebration of Juneteenth “seen through the eyes of two illustrators who pulled artistic beauty from adversity, found honor in their history, and demonstrated the power and importance of the written word.”

The Mazza Museum, located in the Virginia B. Gardner Fine Arts Pavilion on the University of Findlay’s campus at 201 College Street in Findlay, is open Sunday, 1-4 p.m., and Wednesday-Friday, 12-5 p.m. For more information on galleries or visits, check the Mazza Museum’s website or email [email protected].