Fifteen (15) portraits from acclaimed artist Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth collection will be visiting James Madison University in the Fall 2024 semester. The exhibit will be mounted in the Grace Street Gallery in Duke Hall. Shetterly’s work focuses on current and historical figures who have exhibited exemplary citizenship, compassion, bravery, and excellence in facing thorny problems in many aspects of American life. The JMU exhibit is designed to share these beautiful paintings, and the inspiring stories of their subjects, with the university and local community, in hope of promoting dialogue about what it means to be an excellent citizen and to consider the connections between art and the pursuit of justice. Portraits in the exhibit include Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, and other Black literary figures.

This exhibit will be on display from August 21 through September 30, 2024.

Portraits will also be on display at the Massanutten Regional Library, 880 Madison Drive, Harrisonburg and on the JMU campus in the EnGeo Building, 2nd floor hallway.

Americans Who Tell the Truth is brought to Harrisonburg by JMU Justice Studies, in partnership with College of Arts and Letters, College of Integrated Science and Engineering, Institute for Innovation in Health & Human Services, School of Art and Art History, JMU Libraries, Massanutten Regional Library, Furious Flower Poetry Center, and Innovation Center for Youth Justice.