Upcountry History Museum Exhibit Presents Unique Look at Turning Point for Civil Rights Change

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Lawyers’ Table, Montgomery 1956, Harvey Dinnerstein

"Sitting for Justice" showcases original drawings that capture the spectrum of emotions felt during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped mark it as a turning point in the struggle for civil rights.

Being in the right place at the right time often means the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. The exhibition, "Sitting for Justice – The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Drawings by Harvey Dinnerstein and Burton Silverman," is a perfect example of that kind of timing and is now on display at the Upcountry History Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate.

In March of 1956, two young artists, Harvey Dinnerstein and Burt Silverman, embarked on a journey from New York City to Montgomery, Alabama, to record history in the making. Together, they documented, through their drawings, ordinary people engaged in a demonstration which came to be known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

This exhibition features a selection of 30 rarely exhibited or published sketches in an exhibition commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It traces the artists’ observations of this event in American history that began with the arrest of Rosa Parks on charges of disorderly conduct on Dec. 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on a public bus to move to the back. Dinnerstein and Silverman drew Montgomery’s African American citizens walking and carpooling, listening to speeches by community leaders and civil rights activists, and participating in the trial that challenged the segregation of public transportation.

"Sitting for Justice - The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Drawings by Harvey Dinnerstein and Burton Silverman" is organized by Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware. This exhibit is on display through Sunday, June 7, 2026.

In addition, a collection of quilted swing coats created by fiber artist Patricia Montgomery uniquely tell the stories of heroines such as Septima Poinsette Clark, Claudette Colvin, and JoAnn Robinson and their contributions to the civil rights movement.

The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m.; closed Monday.