The International African American Museum (IAAM) announces IAAM Homecoming 2026, taking place Friday, October 16 to Saturday, October 17. The multi-day celebration features a unique gathering of community activations, educational discussions, and cultural performances designed to welcome visitors, descendants, and the surrounding community to return to IAAM’s historic site at Gadsden’s Wharf.
Anchoring this year’s Homecoming programming is the premiere of They Lived, a powerful new exhibit that offers a transformative point of view on one of the most significant and challenging photographic archives in American history: the 1850 Daguerreotypes Collection. The original images depicted seven enslaved individuals: Alfred, Delia, Drana, Fassena, Jack, Jem, and Renty. The daguerreotypes were commissioned in South Carolina at the direction of Harvard scientist Louis Agassiz to support racist theories of human difference.
They Lived shifts the focus away from the exploitative intentions behind the images and centers on the seven individuals’ humanity, identities, and lived experiences. Designed as a reflective experience, the exhibit will invite visitors to encounter historical context before choosing whether to view the daguerreotype reproductions. To prioritize dignity and personhood, reproductions of the daguerreotypes feature protective shielding that partially covers the nudity imposed upon the subjects when the original photographs were taken.
"By bringing these histories into conversation with intentional exhibit design and interpretation, They Lived transforms an archive of exploitation into a space for remembrance and recognition," said IAAM’s President and CEO Dr. Tonya M. Matthews. "Before these photographs were made, there were lives — and this exhibit ensures their identities remain central to the narrative of sharing their untold stories for generations to come."
Beyond the exhibit, IAAM Homecoming 2026 features a symposium of descendants of prominent African American public figures, the second annual IAAM Culture Awards honoring leaders shaping Black history and culture, and a "Homecoming on the Yard" celebration bringing generations together through music, food, and community.
To learn more, purchase tickets, or stay up to date on full event schedules and announcements for IAAM Homecoming 2026, visit iaamuseum.org/homecoming and follow IAAM across social media @iaamuseum.