Lincoln Library to Showcase African Diaspora Origins

Lincoln University will host an exhibition, Lincoln University through the Lens of Griff Davis, opening February 6, 2026, in recognition of Black History Month and the birthday of Langston Hughes. The exhibition features rare and historic photographs by renowned photographer Griff Davis, documenting the early careers of four notable Lincoln University alumni.

Exhibition Details

The exhibition, hosted at the Langston Hughes Memorial Library’s Special Collections and Archives, focuses on Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, Kwame Nkrumah, and Nnamdi Azikiwe. These alumni were instrumental in launching both the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the Independence Movement in Africa, contributing to the formation of a global African diaspora. The collection includes personal letters and ephemera from the alumni’s time at Lincoln University, highlighting their connection to the university and the surrounding community.

Griff Davis and His Work

Griff Davis, the photographer, documented the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the Independence Movement in Africa. He attended Morehouse College before serving in World War II. Davis later became EBONY Magazine’s first roving editor and a student in Langston Hughes’ “Creative Writing” class at Atlanta University. He worked for USAID from 1952 to 1985, advising African governments and traveling extensively throughout Africa and Europe. Davis passed away in 1993, leaving behind a significant archive of untold stories.

Intertwined Legacies

The exhibition, curated by Dorothy Davis, explores the personal bonds and generational impact shared by Hughes, Azikiwe, Nkrumah, and Marshall. A letter from Langston Hughes to Davis in 1954 references correspondence from Azikiwe and Nkrumah, illustrating their ongoing connection. The African Union recognizes the global diaspora as its sixth region, with a statue of Kwame Nkrumah standing at the entrance to the African Union in Addis Ababa.

University and Archive Information

Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), offers over 34 undergraduate and graduate programs to approximately 1,650 students. The Griffith J. Davis Photographs and Archives is dedicated to unearthing and illuminating global narratives through Davis’s photographs.

Exhibition Schedule and Contact Information

Lincoln University through the Lens of Griff Davis will be open to the public starting February 6, 2026, at the Langston Hughes Memorial Library. The exhibition will be open Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and will remain open until May 3, 2026.

For media inquiries, contact Athena Griffith-Howard, Associate Vice President of Communications & Marketing, at agriffithhoward@lincoln.edu or 484-365-7427. Additional information is available at communications@lincoln.edu.