Dandy Lion: (Re) Articulating Black Masculine Identity, the new photography exhibition at Hammonds House Museum, is quickly becoming one of the most popular events in the museum’s history and is attracting new audiences. Curated byShantrelle P. Lewis and organized by the Museum of Contemporary Photography, it examines global black dandyism, men with a penchant for color and a taste for refined fashion. Black dandyism is not new; originating in England’s Age of Enlightenment slave culture, it has continued for generations in black cultures around the world. Now, set against the backdrop of hip-hop culture, the newest iteration of dandies is redefining what it means to be black, masculine, and fashionable. Dandy Lion will be on display through April 28 at Hammonds House Museum, 503 Peeples Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310.  

“I think the reason this exhibition resonates with so many people, is that we have an opportunity to see and celebrate our fathers, grandfathers, uncles and bothers,” states Leatrice Ellzy, Executive Director of Hammonds House Museum. “Many men who have visited the exhibit have expressed that they see themselves in the images on our walls and are excited to be acknowledged and honored in this way. Dandy Lion is about us - our dignity, swagger, cool and desire to live our best lives.”

Here are some of the special events being presented in connection with the Dandy Lion exhibition. Check the museum’s web site for more details, admission costs, and RSVP information: hammondshouse.org.

The Shape Up from 10am-2 pm on Saturday, March 9. This event will provide a blueprint for grooming, finance and other essentials for young men ages 12-18. Participants will spend the day at the museum exploring style, etiquette, grooming, health and money matters.

Rethinking Masculinity: A Conversation with Same-Gender Loving Men Around Style, Fashion and Manner from 3-5 pm on Saturday, March 30. Black gay men have always been a major part of the vanguard of style and fashion, greatly influencing fashion design and trends. A multigenerational panel will look at the Dandy Lion exhibition through the lens of the LGBTQ community. This event will take place at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Cognac and Cigars from 5 pm-7pm on Sunday, March 31. Hammonds House Museum is teaming up with Trilogy Cigar Lounge to host an afternoon of fine cigars, cognac tasting and delicious, light bites in the museum courtyard.

Beyond the Barbershop: Conversations About Black Masculinity in America from 2-4 pm on Saturday, April 20. Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and acclaimed hip-hop poet and dancer, will lead a panel discussion and conversation about what it means to be black and male in contemporary American society. He will also perform an excerpt from his award-winning production, “Word Becomes Flesh,” which is based on a series of letters he wrote to his unborn son. This event takes place at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Shantrelle P. Lewis is an independent curator based out of Brooklyn and Philadelphia. She was a 2014 United Nations Program for People of African Descent Fellow and a 2012–13 Andy Warhol Curatorial Fellow. Lewis has curated exhibitions for institutions including the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in Brooklyn; Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore; and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

Sponsors for Hammonds House Museum and programs include Fulton County, Fulton County Arts & Culture, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of cultural Affairs, Georgia Council for the Arts, Aids Healthcare Foundation, Black Leadership Aids Crisis Coalition, Georgia Humanities, Georgia-Pacific, National Performance Network, Visual Artists Network, Wells Fargo, and Lubo Fund.  Dandy Lion is also generously supported by Sonya Halpern, Veronica and Erwin Carter and Christopher Swain.