Emory Douglas exhibition on Black Panther Party imagery opens at San Francisco’s African American Art & Culture Complex

An expanded look at a defining visual language of the Black Panther Party

A new San Francisco exhibition is spotlighting the work of Emory Douglas, the graphic artist and illustrator who helped shape the public image of the Black Panther Party during the organization’s formative years. The presentation is on view at the African American Art & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St., and is titled Emory Douglas: In Our Lifetime.

The exhibition is structured as a two-part project. The first section opened in early December 2025, focusing on Douglas’ more recent work—particularly digital prints and contemporary reinterpretations that connect his long-running themes of political education and community defense to modern social movements. A second section is scheduled to open in February 2026, expanding the show to include Douglas’ earlier, more widely recognized designs associated with the Black Panther Party and its newspaper.

From movement communications to museum walls

Douglas served as the Black Panther Party’s minister of culture from 1967 to 1982, producing illustrations and layouts that became central to the party’s communications strategy. His images—often high-contrast, direct, and designed for immediate readability—were created for mass distribution and community organizing, not for traditional gallery contexts.

The exhibition places that history alongside Douglas’ later output, highlighting continuities in subject matter and approach: the use of graphic clarity, the centering of everyday people, and a focus on systemic inequities. The show’s framing emphasizes Douglas’ work as both documentation and persuasion—imagery intended to inform audiences and mobilize action.

What visitors can expect to see

The February 2026 expansion is expected to broaden the scope beyond contemporary prints to include classic works linked to the visual identity of the Black Panther Party, as well as additional materials that illuminate Douglas’ artistic process and the multiple formats his images have taken over time.

• A two-part exhibition format, moving from recent digital-era works to earlier archival-era designs
• Works associated with the Black Panther Party’s community messaging and newspaper culture
• Selections that trace Douglas’ evolution across more than five decades of political artmaking

The exhibition is presented as a survey of Douglas’ work across more than 50 years, pairing historically influential designs with later reinterpretations.

Public access and run of show

Emory Douglas: In Our Lifetime is presented with free admission at the African American Art & Culture Complex. The show is scheduled to remain on view through October 2026. With the February opening of the second part, organizers are positioning the exhibition to reach audiences familiar with Douglas’ legacy as well as visitors encountering his Black Panther-era imagery for the first time.