The UC Davis Design Museum explores racism through cartoons in the installation “STILL: Racism in America, A Retrospective in Cartoons.” Showcasing the work of pioneering father/daughter cartoonists the late Brumsic Brandon, Jr. and Barbara Brandon-Croft, the exhibition runs Jan. 23 through April 21, 2024. 

Brandon, Jr. (1927–2014) and Brandon-Croft (1958– ) chronicled the nation’s cultural landscape in their comic strips through the lens of racism. The elder Brandon, who created Luther in the late sixties, and was later syndicated by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate until 1986, was also known for his blistering editorial cartoons. Where I’m Coming From is the work of his youngest daughter, the nation’s first Black woman cartoonist in the mainstream press; it debuted in 1989 in the Detroit Free Press. Universal Press Syndicate later distributed her provocative feature until 2005. For six decades, their respective pens lay bare the truth: Nothing has changed. This retrospective reveals how vividly the specter of racism remains in America… “STILL. ” 

“STILL” was originally exhibited at the Medialia Gallery in New York City, then at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University and was curated by Tara Nakashima Donahue, the assistant director for Medialia Gallery in New York. In addition to “STILL,” she has curated the “From Panel to Panel” comics art series since 2008.

“STILL” is presented in conjunction with Darnel Degand, assistant professor, UC Davis School of Education, and the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University. 

The exhibition’s university partners are the Department of Design in the College of Letters and Science and the School of Education. Co-sponsors are the Transformative Justice in Education Center and the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art. Additional support has been provided by the University Writing Program and the departments of African American and African Studies; American Studies; Art and Art History; Cinema and Digital Media; Communication; Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies; Music; and Theatre and Dance — all part of the College of Letters and Science. 

The Design Museum, part of the College of Letters and Science and free to the public, is in 124 Cruess Hall. 

The UC Davis Design Museum is open Monday–Friday, noon-4:00 p.m. To schedule a weekend appointment (Sunday 2:00–4:00 p.m. only), arrange a group visit, or for further information please call (530) 752-6150 or email tplance@ucdavis.edu.

See Design Museum for map and parking information.