Charles Alston in 1939. [ Works Progress Administration ]
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Museum open exhibit showcasing wartime artist

Camp Gordon Johnston World War II Museum in Carrabelle is presenting a special exhibit in recognition of Black History Month honoring Charles Henry Alston, a celebrated African American artist and activist whose impactful work during World War II mobilized the African American community. 

This exhibit will open Tuesday, Feb. 4 and will be on display at the museum until Saturday, March 1. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there is no charge for admission.

Alston, who lived from 1907 to 1977, was an artist who used his talents to inspire change and support the US war effort. He was the first African American supervisor for the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) Federal Art Project and he created the iconic bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which resides in the Oval Office. During World War II, he also served as a member of the Office of War Information.

During World War II, Alston created motivational posters and illustrations aimed at African American audiences, highlighting topics such as conserving resources, growing victory gardens, and supporting the war effort through unity and action. His work celebrated the accomplishments of notable African American individuals, such as Willa Brown, the first African American woman pilot in the United States, and also fostered pride within the community.



The exhibit will feature reproductions of Alston’s wartime illustrations and posters, along with details about his achievements, including promoting the arts and art education in Harlem and the US. Visitors will gain insight into how Alston’s art helped boost wartime morale and promoted African American contributions to the war effort.

The museum is located directly across from Carrabelle Public Beach Park at 1873 Hwy 98 West. For more information, contact Camp Gordon Johnston Museum at (850) 697-8575 or museum@campgordonjohnston.com. Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.



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Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.

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