Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985

Our new exhibition explores the turbulent decades of the mid-20th century and features artists who celebrated Black culture and advanced the struggle for civil rights

Learn about the exhibition
A black-and-white photo of a man holding a sign that reads "We Are Tired of Waiting" next to a car covered in protest slogans.

What We Do

  1. Our Locations

    Three people, a woman with long dark hair and a man pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair, wander through a museum gallery filled with marble sculpture busts.

    Enjoy the art, architecture, and gardens of our two unique sites

  2. Art & Archives

    Two people wander through an art gallery filled with sculptures, pointing to the details in a stone bust

    Our art and research collections span ancient to modern times

  3. Research & Conservation

    A person seated before a large wooden table looks at a black-and-white stereograph of a streetscape through a modern stereoscope, while other stereographs are scattered on the table.

    We conduct and support research and conservation of visual art and cultural heritage in Los Angeles and throughout the world

News & Stories

All News & Stories

  1. Getty Acquires Irving Penn‘s Cuzco Work

    Press Release

    A black and white negative film photograph of two small children dressed in tattered clothing and floppy hats, leaning against and joining hands atop a stool.

    Landmark donation includes 189 photographs from the artist’s 1948 project

    Feb 26, 2026

  2. “Let Me Get to Work"

    Article

    Black and white photograph of a person wearing a stylish outfit walking past a painted wall with an intricate illustration and the words, "think positive".

    Photographer Coreen Simpson reflects on five decades of documenting Black culture

    Feb 24, 2026

  3. Getty and Japan Pavilion Debut New Performance Project with Ei Arakawa‑Nash and Fac Xtra Retreat (FXR)

    Press Release

    A brightly lit, white, curved building lined with green trees at dusk.

    Collaboration unfolds in Los Angeles at the Getty Center and continues in Venice during the 2026 Biennale opening week

    Feb 24, 2026

Explore Our Work

All Projects & Initiatives

The Scores Project

Interdisciplinary research into the international proliferation of avant-garde scores from the 1950s to 1970s

A white sheet of paper covered in hundreds of small symbols and drawings in black ink

Resources

All Resources
Explore tools and support for work and study in visual art and cultural heritage