The rise.

The flourish. The fall. This is what the Reconstruction Era looked like. 11 years of Black Americans building something extraordinary, followed by the violence of its erasure. @jewel_ballerina dances this truth in front of a permanent installation by @zsudayka and @jtcolorofsound created for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights' Reconstruction Era wing. During its installation, the artists said it's the most important work of their careers thus far. That everything we are experiencing today is a result of the failures of those 11 years. “We are both very honored that our ancestors spoke through us to create this painting.” And in this moment, Jewel's body carries that weight forward.