Heritage & Legacy: Homecoming — An Art Experience Opens at The Newark Museum of Art

NEWARK, NJ, UNITED STATES, January 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Newark Museum of Art will present Heritage & Legacy: Homecoming —An Art Experience from February 1 through March 26, 2026, in the Community Gallery. Presented in collaboration with POCSTOCK and Black Menswear/BMW Digital, the exhibition centers photography and cultural storytelling to honor the traditions, lived experiences, and creative expressions rooted in Historical Black Colleges and Universities. The exhibition explores themes of belonging, resilience, pride, and intergenerational connection, with campuses serving as both subject and setting. Walkways, classrooms, step shows, alumni gatherings, and everyday moments are documented as living symbols of heritage and collective legacy. Together, the works invite alumni, students, families, and community members to reflect on the lasting cultural and creative impact of HBCUs.

For the Manager of Community Engagement & co-curator Darryl Dwayne Walker, the exhibition reflects both personal history and institutional responsibility.

“This exhibition means a great deal to me. As an alumnus of Norfolk State University and a former contract performing arts educator at Hampton University for seven years, my roots within the HBCU community run deep. In addition, our museum, The NMOA, is situated in a predominantly Black and Brown city, home to many HBCU alumni. At a time like this, there is no better opportunity to spotlight the significance and cultural relevance of these historic
institutions, which were founded to expand access to education for all Americans. Though created out of necessity, HBCUs have evolved far beyond that origin, becoming vital anchors that have produced many of the nation’s most influential thought leaders and artists.” said Walker.

That emphasis on preservation and cultural responsibility is echoed by Nathalie Heywood Smith, Vice President of Business Development at POCSTOCK. She added, “POCSTOCK moves with intention—following people, places, and moments where culture breathes on its own. We are honored to present in partnership with Black Menswear and The Newark Museum of Art: Heritage & Legacy: Homecoming. This collaboration is about allowing our stories to remain alive—rooted, meaningful, and still unfolding. The moments gathered here are joyous, communal, deeply resonant: gestures, exchanges, and expressions that reveal how the HBCU legacy looks today. These are the spaces where POCSTOCK, Black Menswear, The Newark Museum of Art live, listens, and bears witness.”

Evan Marshall, Chief Operating Officer of Black Menswear, whose work has long focused on documenting the intersection of identity, pride, and cultural tradition within historically Black spaces, also underscored the significance of the collaboration. “Having executed work on both Howard and Morehouse campuses, we’ve seen firsthand how these institutions operate as cultural engines places where style, pride, history, and future vision converge in everyday moments. To have those stories live inside a museum context, preserved and shared as art, feels deeply meaningful. This collaboration is not just about imagery; it’s about honoring legacy, amplifying collective memory, and celebrating the communities that continue to shape Black culture forward.”

Heritage & Legacy: Homecoming — An Art Experience will also feature the work of Byron Summers and Kersey Caldwell. The exhibition will be open to the public during regular museum hours and is free with museum admission. For more information, visit www.newarkmuseumart.org.

About The Newark Museum of Art:
Founded in 1909 on the radical belief that art and learning are for everyone, The Newark Museum of Art (NMOA) is New Jersey’s largest fine art museum and one of the country’s leading cultural institutions. With a collection of over 300,000 artworks and artifacts spanning art, science, and natural history—ranking as the 12th largest museum collection in the U.S.—NMOA continues to be a vibrant center for creativity, education, and community engagement.

The Museum’s 3.1-acre campus in the heart of Newark features iconic spaces including the National Historic Landmark Ballantine House, the Dreyfuss Planetarium (New Jersey’s first), and the Dreyfuss Memorial Garden. NMOA is also home to signature public programs like the Newark Black Film Festival—the longest-running Black film festival in the nation—and the Newark Arts Festival, a citywide celebration of artistic collaboration. Nationally accredited and among just 3% of U.S. museums to hold this distinction, NMOA places inclusive excellence at the core of its mission. The Museum is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, actively embracing anti-racist practices and community-driven initiatives. Through innovative exhibitions and inclusive programming,

NMOA works to build a more equitable, kind, and sustainable world—always putting the people of Newark and their creativity at the center.
For more information, visit newarkmuseumart.org.

About POCSTOCK INC:
POCSTOCK is a global inclusive content company that sits at the intersection of content, culture, advertising, and Artificial Intelligence with a focus on positive images featuring people of color. Founded in 2019 by Steve Jones and DeSean Brown, POCSTOCK partners with businesses around the world to develop content, strategies, and programming that unapologetically represents people of color. For more information, visit our website www.pocstock.com and LinkedIn, Instagram, and Crunchbase pages.

About Black Menswear:
Black Menswear is a cultural impact agency connecting brands to a global audience of Black men. Through strategic content, influencer activation, experiential events, and community development, the agency delivers purpose-driven campaigns that help companies realize the return on investment of culture-first engagement. With a presence across major cities and a reach that spans international borders, Black Menswear is transforming how brands authentically engage with culture by putting community first. For more information, visit www.blackmenswear.com.

Monique L Webber
MLWPR
+1 702-867-2400
email us here

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