A window display at an Elkhart art gallery is drawing wide attention across social media and prompting debate among residents, visitors, and local officials.
The Southside Gallery recently installed an artwork that depicts a Ku Klux Klan lynching. The piece, visible from the street, has stirred strong reactions, with some expressing concern and others supporting the message behind the exhibit.
Gallery curator Reyna Phiri said the goal is to encourage reflection and dialogue about the city’s past and present.
Honoring Local Black History
One side of the gallery highlights notable Black figures from Elkhart’s history. The exhibit aims to show young people that success and leadership can grow from their own neighborhoods.
“We have things that need to be memorialized because young people in this community, they don’t really have role models,” Phiri said. “So, if they can go to the park and they can say, ‘Oh, this person swung on these very swings. This person lived in this neighborhood. This person made it to national TV.’ Why can’t they make it to national TV or whatever their goal is?”
Phiri said the historical displays help connect students and families to stories that might otherwise go untold.
