For many years, the legacy of Owensboro native and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Moneta Sleet Jr. appeared in danger of being lost to history.
But the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Owensboro Class of 2021 began the effort to raise Sleet’s profile locally, and that has developed into an ongoing tribute that saw the unveiling of six outdoor story panels Wednesday afternoon at Moneta Sleet Jr. Park that chronicle Sleet’s journey from his early days in Owensboro to the many highlights of his photography career.
“I’ll be honest with you, I grew up here in Owensboro and never heard of Moneta Sleet Jr. until they rolled out the Through Sleet’s Eyes Festival — I had no idea,” said Jared Revlett, chairman of the Chamber Young Professionals, which spearheaded the creation of the panels. “It’s really exciting for us to make sure the next generation of people growing up here in Owensboro, especially here in this neighborhood with this park, will understand that this guy has a huge legacy. He was part of some of the biggest events in civil rights history, and he grew up right here in Owensboro, right across the street.
“We’re really excited that we’re going to be able to leave this here for folks to come and learn about someone whose from Owensboro, who made a lasting impact in photography and civil rights.”
Sleet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of Coretta Scott King, taken at the funeral of her husband Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., made him the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize in the journalism category. His career as a photojournalist documented many defining moments of the civil rights era.
“Moneta Sleet Jr. captured the depth of a movement through his camera lens — now, generations of Owensboro residents will walk through this park and see the world through his eyes,” said Ashtin Warren, the chamber’s director of talent programs. “Sleet’s story, once nearly forgotten, now lives on as a beacon of history, hope and hometown pride.”
Sleet’s profile in Owensboro began to grow when the Leadership Owensboro class was tasked with creating a project to benefit the community. That led to the creation of the Through Sleet’s Eyes Festival, which was launched in 2023.
The festival combined art, education and community engagement, featuring an exhibit of Sleet’s most famous images, a documentary and a performance.
However, before the festival officially launched, the City of Owensboro renamed Max Rhoads Park to Moneta Sleet Jr. Park in April 2022.
Many local officials believed the honor was long overdue.
“This day has been long in coming, not just the unveiling of the beautiful artworks, but also this park in renaming it,” said City Commissioner Bob Glenn prior to the unveiling of the story panels. “It shouldn’t have been a struggle; it should never be a struggle to recognize greatness. I’m gratified to have been on the commission that did that.
“The power of diversity, to paraphrase Bill Clinton, we don’t have a person to waste, and when you think that Moneta Sleet, this element of greatness in the artistic and the historic world, lived right across the street, and his story was not told. The installation not only enhances one of our city parks, but also helps preserve and share the legacy of an Owensboro native who made a lasting impact on history.”
Revlett said the Chamber Young Professionals worked two years on the story panels.
“We worked together to design the signs with CYP and the folks on the Through Sleet’s Eyes Festival committee,” Revlett said. “We got all of the information together, worked with the family on that to make sure we had everything that we needed on there. We wanted to make sure that we were honoring his legacy, and we wanted to make sure that we were historically accurate, had the correct information, and we wanted to make sure we showcased his work throughout.
“It’s truly an example of the good things that can happen when a group of people come together with a common idea and a passion to get things done.”
Emmy Woosley, CYP’s community development chair and a driving force behind the Through Sleet’s Eyes Festival, said the story panels are designed for everyone to learn about and appreciate Sleet’s accomplishments.
“We really wanted to make the story panels appropriate for all ages, especially children, because Sleet’s story is inspirational,” she said. “He photographed some of the most pivotal people and moments in American history.”
By Scott Hagerman Messenger-Inquirer