About the Project

What does it mean to be a member of the Black community in America? Black America, through the lens of the media, has been conflated into a monolithic image where certain narratives dominate. Tarver’s own background growing up in the rural Midwest, although distinct from urban East and West Coast experiences, are part of a shared reality. This realization has motivated his exploration of what it means to identify as a Black American--an amorphous status that extends far beyond the color of one’s skin. Through Tarver’s photographs from the past and present, “Communities” seeks to challenge these constructions and further unpack what it means to be a part of the Black community in America.