The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats

This is the first major exhibition in the country to pay tribute to the award-winning author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, whose beloved children’s books include Whistle for Willie (1964), Peter’s Chair (1967), and The Snowy Day (1962)—the first modern full-color picture book to feature an African American protagonist. Published at the height of the civil rights movement, the book became an inspiration for generations of readers, transforming children’s literature forever.

This exhibition features over 70 original works by Keats, from preliminary sketches and book dummies to final paintings and collages. 

The exhibition is curated by Claudia J. Nahson of The Jewish Museum in New York City, and organized by The Jewish Museum from the holdings of the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, The University of Southern Mississippi. 

This exhibition was funded by The Jewish Museum through a generous grant from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Joseph Alexander Foundation, the Alfred J. Grunebaum Fund, and the Winnick Family Foundation. Exhibition support at The Carle was generously provided by Penguin Young Readers Group and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.