Mandy Carter: Scientist of Activism

This exhibit honors the life and work of Mandy Carter, a Durham-based Black lesbian activist who has been a central figure in the American struggle for social justice for over five decades. Four organizations and movements that Carter joined, founded, or led are celebrating anniversaries this year, including the War Resisters League (100 years), the 1963 March on Washington (60 years), Southerners On New Ground (30 years), and the National Black Justice Coalition (20 years). Together, they represent a legacy of social change defined by nonviolent resistance, Black freedom movements, and queer liberation.

Much like social and political movements, this exhibit is loosely linear. It is divided into themes that make up the science of Carter’s activism, beginning with her childhood in the foster care system, through her career as an activist, and ending with the organizations and movements she joined or established. Carter’s activist career began with War Resisters League/West and War Resisters League/Los Angeles in California and guided her move to Durham in 1982. While in Durham, Carter led efforts to mobilize people to the 1963 March on Washington anniversaries and to Duke University to speak and bring musicians to educate, agitate, and organize young students. Being Black and lesbian also pushed Carter to co-found Southerners On New Ground (SONG) and the National Black Justice Coalition and lead the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum. Carter’s ideal for social change in North Carolina also pushed her into organizing against Senator Jesse Helms as the co-founder of Senate Vote '90.

This exhibit is for everyone who believes that individuals and communities can effect real change. It is for those who want to create policies, carry the microphone, and teach, and also those still figuring out what change looks like. We encourage you to look at Carter's work and see where you fit in. Several moments in the exhibit offer opportunities to get involved, question what freedom means to you, and think about who inspires you.

Pride Flag

Flags are often unifying symbols for nations and identity-based groups. The evolution of the Pride flag exemplifies how liberation movements can grow and become more inclusive. The original Pride flag, created by Gilbert Baker in 1978, features six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. According to Baker, the rainbow design was meant to express the joy, beauty, and power of gay people. By 2017, it had evolved into the “More Color, More Pride” flag, including black and brown stripes to represent people of color. The following year, the colors pink, white, and light blue, yellow, and a purple circle were added to increase the visibility and awareness of trans, intersex, and non-binary people. The decades-long activism Carter has done for Black and Brown LGBTQ people and trans and non-binary folks correlates to this change.