Adler & Adler Photography Studio

Adler & Adler

Exhibition Dates: June 8th - August 31st, 2024

Location: Southside Community Art Center, 3831 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60653

Curated by Amber Nax

Original Artwork by Eli Greene

Adler & Adler (circa 1910–1970) was one of the few Black-owned photography studios located in what was once Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood. The studio was solely operated by Charles and Manna Adler. After Charles died in 1973, with no heirs to inherit the business, the studio and its photographs were left to time. Eventually, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (Detroit, MI)  in Detroit acquired the collection, preserving rare images of neighborhoods and businesses that have since disappeared. While reviewing the archival photo selections for the exhibit, Eli Greene noticed a Russell Street address in the corner of some images. During a visit to Detroit to see family, Eli visited the site in person, capturing the former studio location in risographs. While photographing the site, local youth ran up, eager to have their pictures taken, solidifying their presence in Detroit's history.

This exhibition presents early photographs acquired from the Adler & Adler Studio operating in the 1940s Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit. Everyday life is shown in graduations, weddings, and intimate family moments, immortalized by the archive. 

In part thanks to Independent Curators International (ICI), the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Southside Community Art Center.

Adler & Adler (2024) exhibit images. Photography by Clay Kerr.

NEWS

Eli Greene in Adler and Adler

Black Bottom to Bronzeville: Mapping the Black Midwest

Location: Southside Community Art Center
3831 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60653

Event Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024 | 12–3 PM

Hosted by Amber Nax

Black Bottom to Bronzeville: Mapping the Black Midwest expanded on the Adler & Adler exhibit with additional archival photos, offering Chicago audiences historical context on Detroit’s Black Bottom. Held on Saturday, August 24, 2024, from noon to 3 PM at the South Side Community Art Center, Amber Nax examined and explored the deep connections between Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood and Detroit’s Black Bottom, highlighting their significance as centers of Black culture, community, and resilience in the Midwest.

ABOVE: Black Bottom to Bronzeville: Mapping the Black Midwest. August 2024. Lecture at Southside Community Art Center. Photos by Lennell Davis.

BELOW: Black Bottom to Bronzeville: Mapping the Black Midwest. August 2024. Lecture and presentation at Southside Community Art Center. with Amber Nax