Linda C. Harrison is no stranger to the power of self-expression. That’s just one reason she accepted her role as the Newark Museum of Art’s director and CEO over six years ago, which positioned her as one of the few African-Americans leading a major art museum. “[The museum] is 115 years old now, and the 12th largest in the country in terms of our collections—we have over 300,000 objects,” she tells Bazaar. “But what’s distinct about it is that the museum was discovered and founded by John Cotton Dana, who said this was going to be a museum for the people.” Throughout his career as a curator and librarian, Dana championed the idea that museums and libraries should be accessible to everyone, not just the upper classes.
After transitioning from her role leading the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, Harrison unveiled a foundational three-year plan at what was then known simply as the Newark Museum in 2019, to assist the institution in becoming more inviting to the residents of the New Jersey city. She not only added “of Art” to the museum’s title, but also overhauled its campus and gardens to spark interest in the institution.
Courtesy of The Newark Museum of Art
Newark Museum of Art director and CEO Linda C. Harrison
“We want people to just feel that they can pause and sit and have joy,” she says of the revamp. “A lot of times when you have a city or an area that becomes 70 to 80 percent Black, brown people, immigrants, it’s always so hard. And you don’t always get a chance to have the joy and experience the joy—kids or adults. We want to be that kind of place where you can trust being at the museum, but it doesn’t have to be complicated for you. That’s part of the thinking here, that it’s a deeper transformation, not just a physical one.” Harrison’s restructuring efforts and prioritization of inclusive and accessible art throughout the year have shifted the institution’s mission back to its founder’s original intention of offering the utmost accessibility.
“Before embracing art and culture, I was immersed in the buttoned-down corporate world. As I gained confidence, developing my personal style became more important than following a specific designer,” she says. “Now, as an ambassador of art, culture, and business, I bring my authentic self into every room. I like to think that being vibrant, fun, confident, and genuine bolsters my mission.”
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This week, the museum is hosting the 50th anniversary celebration of the Newark Black Film Festival, the oldest Black film festival in the country. Created in 1974 by Oliver Franklin at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Center for Communication, and later proposed to the Newark Museum of Art by the executive director of the Greater Newark Urban Coalition, Gus Heningburg, the festival has served as a platform for independent Black filmmakers and previewed early works by industry titans like Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins, and Ava DuVernay.
Courtesy of the Collection of The Newark Museum of Art Library and Archives
The Newark Black Film Festival selection committee with Lena Horne in 1982
Courtesy of The Newark Museum of Art Library and Archives
The Newark Black Film Festival selection committee with Sheryl Lee Ralph in 1982
Courtesy of The Newark Museum of Art Library and Archives
Newark Black Film Festival committee member Richard Wesley and director Ava DuVernay in 2011
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“This festival has been a beacon of inspiration, spotlighting the rich and diverse narratives of the Black diaspora. I absolutely love films and know the power of film to change lives,” Harrison says. “Fifty years ago, films exploring the Black experience were on the fringes of American culture. The Newark Black Film Festival was created to help fill a void long before many people were even aware of that void, providing a platform for filmmakers to build their careers and share their stories.” To date, the NBFF has shown over 850 films at the museum, chosen by a selection committee of volunteer members from institutions within the community, and drawn over 200,000 attendees throughout the years.
Courtesy of The Newark Museum of Art
A closer look at the 2024 Newark Black Film Festival
After tonight’s opening reception and ceremony, the first film at this year’s festival is A24’s Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar and starring The Color Purple’s Colman Domingo. “For us to be able to not only bring these different films here—whether they’re the classics or shorts that allow us to discover new filmmakers, this is what has helped and will continue to help the city transform itself,” Harrison says. “And now, we’re going to do our part, so this can be a path. My vision is that people will feel comfortable walking from the Museum to the Newark Performing Arts Center and Newark Symphony Hall, and then to all the restaurants and shops in between. That way, we all rise together from this thing called art and culture.”
The 2024 Newark Black Film Festival runs July 10 through July 14, with tickets available at newarkblackfilmfestival.com.
