Twin Cities photographer Charles Chamblis used his camera to document the vibrant social and artistic life of the local African American community throughout the 1970s and 1980s. A new exhibit of Chamblis’ work, “Sights, Sounds, Soul: The Twin Cities Through the Lens of Charles Chamblis,” opens at Mill City Museum on Nov. 15, 2017.

Chamblis’ photographs showcase everyday scenes, like family gathering and weddings, and also Minneapolis’ legendary music scene. Pictures feature legendary local soul, funk and R&B acts from Flyte Tyme to Prince and Prophets of Peace. Photos also explore some of the bygone clubs of the city’s musical history, such as the Taste Show Lounge, Riverview Supper Club and Nacirema Club.

The exhibit is a companion to a new Minnesota Historical Society Press book of Chamblis’ photography with text by Davu Seru, internationally known jazz drummer and scholar of African American literature and culture.  

Mill City Museum will celebrate the exhibit’s opening with a reception featuring music by Minneapolis funk and soul pioneers Prophets of Peace on Nov. 15, 6:30-9 p.m.

“Sights, Sounds, Soul: The Twin Cities Through the Lens of Charles Chamblis” is located in the museum’s Mill Commons, and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours. It will be on view Nov. 15, 2017-March 31, 2018.

About Mill City Museum
Built within the ruins of the Washburn A Mill, a National Historic Landmark, the award-winning Mill City Museum chronicles the flour milling industry that fueled the growth of Minneapolis. The story comes to life through the eight-story Flour Tower, Water Lab, Baking Lab and other hands-on exhibits.

The museum is located at 704 S. Second St. in Minneapolis. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The site is also open Mondays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in July and August. For more information, call 612-341-7555 or visit www.millcitymuseum.org.

The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.

The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partners: Xcel Energy and Explore Minnesota Tourism.