Sepia Vernacular: Overtown’s Photography Exhibit Opens at the Historic Lawson E. Thomas Building

Sepia Vernacular: Overtown’s Photography Exhibit Opens at the Historic Lawson E. Thomas Building

Landmark exhibition celebrates Miami’s Black cultural legacy and reimagines the home of the South’s first Black judge since the Reconstruction era.

The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA), in partnership with the City of Miami Planning Department’s Public Art Division, proudly announces the opening of Sepia Vernacular: Overtown’s Photographic Journey, 1920–1950. This historic exhibition debuts at the newly restored Lawson E. Thomas Building, a site of significant legal, cultural, and community importance in the heart of Historic Overtown.

Curated from the archives of the Miami Planning Department, the exhibition features over 80 rare photographs, including selections from Max Waldman’s 1947 series, "Color Town." These images vividly capture Overtown’s streets, its proud residents, and the richness of its cultural heartbeat during the early 20th century—shedding light on a community whose contributions have often been overlooked.

The Lawson E. Thomas Building, once home to Miami-Dade County’s first Black judge and the South’s first Black judge since Reconstruction, has undergone a $374,000 renovation funded by the SEOPW CRA. Recently recognized as a historic site by the City of Miami, the building now features restored architectural details, improved accessibility, and modern infrastructure.

There is also a striking mural on the side of the building by artist Anthony “Mojo” Reed II that celebrates Overtown’s enduring family legacy and cultural resilience. “Veo Veo, I See I See, Mwen wè Mwen wè” is an interactive mural that honors Judge Lawson E. Thomas and Overtown's civil rights history. Commissioned by Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora (Miami MoCAAD). The mural uses QR codes to link the mural to oral history videos about Thomas and the community. The artwork visually represents a cycle of activism, depicting a family and a young Black woman with her fist raised in solidarity, symbolizing the fight for justice and change. This adaptive reuse project of the Judge Lawson E. Thomas building ensures the building remains a symbol of civic pride, linking Miami’s past with its present.

Sepia Vernacular is the first major exhibition in the revitalized Lawson E. Thomas Building. More than just an art showcase, the exhibition turns the space into a living archive and a cultural gathering place.

“This exhibit doesn’t just tell the story of Overtown—it embodies it,” said Natalya Sangster, Director of Operations at SEOPW CRA. “Presenting these photographs in Judge Thomas’s former office—once a hub of civil rights advocacy—reminds us that history, place, and identity are inseparable. This is not just art. It’s a homecoming.”

A Legacy That Shaped Miami
Judge Lawson E. Thomas was a pioneering leader in law and civil rights. As a lawyer, he fought for equal pay for Black teachers, organized Miami’s first “wade-in” at Virginia Key in 1945 to protest segregated beaches, and challenged segregation through strategic sit-ins. As a judge during the Jim Crow era, he presided over Miami’s Black municipal court, symbolizing progress and resilience amid systemic injustice.

Hosting Sepia Vernacular in the building that bears his name is both symbolic and restorative—revitalizing Black history and memory within Miami’s civic consciousness.

Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Sepia Vernacular—Overtown’s Photographic Journey, 1920–1950
Location: Lawson E. Thomas Building, 1021 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL
Hours: Thursday–Friday, 2–6 PM | Sat, 10 AM–5 PM
Tours: By appointment only – CRA@miamigov.com
Presented by: SEOPW CRA & the City of Miami Planning Department

About SEOPW CRA
The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency aims to revitalize and protect the cultural, historical, and economic heritage of Overtown. Through development initiatives and cultural investments, SEOPW CRA works to keep Overtown’s future as lively as its history. Visit: www.seopwcra.com and follow on IG @miamicra @soulbaselmia.

Extended Hours:

(Soul Basel/Miami Art Week)

Tuesday, December 2^nd – Friday, December 5^th : 2-10 PM

Saturday, December 6^th, 10 AM-10 PM

Sunday, December 7^th, 12 PM – 7 PM