Underground Railroad Photo Exhibition Opens in Kansas City June 6
By Elizabeth Snell
Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales to Attend First Friday at Culture Lab
On Friday, June 6, Kansas City audiences are invited to experience a rare visual exploration of the Underground Railroad. Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad will be on view at the Culture Lab at Mid-America Arts Alliance in the Crossroads Arts District. Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales, whose work documents real locations tied to escape routes from slavery, will be present during the event.
Through Darkness to Light, a traveling exhibition of ExhibitsUSA, showcases over a decade of Michna-Bales’ research and travel to document a roughly 2,000-mile route from Louisiana to Canada. Her dramatic nighttime color photographs are accompanied by historical context, helping visitors imagine the courage, risk, and perseverance of those who sought—and those who helped others seek—freedom. The exhibition is part of M-AAA’s anniversary celebration of 20 years in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.
“The photographs pull viewers into the shadows, making them feel the urgency of the journey to freedom. It’s a visually arresting, emotionally charged experience that lingers long after you leave.” said Kathy Dowell, director of arts and humanities programming at Mid-America Arts Alliance. “It’s an honor to share ExhibitsUSA’s longest nationally touring exhibition with our Kansas City community, especially during our 20th anniversary year in the Crossroads.”
Because of the secrecy necessary, there is little visual documentation of the Underground Railroad, making Michna-Bales’ work all the more culturally important for reflection and education.
First Friday Event Details
What: Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad
When: First Friday, June 6, 2025 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Where: Culture Lab at 2018 Baltimore Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64108
Admission: Free and open to the public
Event: https://www.maaa.org/event/m-aaa-culture-lab-exhibition-june-2025/
The exhibition runs through July 11, 2025. Additional appointments are available by calling 816-800-0926.
Presented by Mid-America Arts Alliance, Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad has toured nationally since 2017 through the organization’s ExhibitsUSA program. The exhibition now has an extended tour and is available for venues to book through 2032.
About the Artist
Jeanine Michna-Bales is a visual storyteller working in the medium of photography. Her work explores the impact of cornerstone relationships on contemporary society—the bonds with ourselves, others, communities, and the land we inhabit. Her work sits at the crossroads of curiosity and knowledge, combining documentary, fine art, and activism with disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and environmental studies. Learn more at www.jmbalesphotography.com.
About the Venue
The Culture Lab is the Mid-America Arts Alliance’s space for exhibitions, presentations, and events at our headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. The Culture Lab allows us to showcase programs in the vibrant Kansas City Crossroads neighborhood and participate in the city’s First Friday celebrations.
About Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) partners with and supports artists, organizations, and communities to grow access to the arts, culture, and creativity throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond. To learn more about M-AAA grants, programs, exhibitions, and fellowships, visit www.maaa.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, and LinkedIn.
For press materials, high-resolution images, please contact Elizabeth Snell, Communications Manager, Mid-America Arts Alliance, 816-800-0919, elizabeth@maaa.org.
Header Photography: Jeanine Michna-Bales, Decision to Leave, Magnolia Plantation on the Cane River, Louisiana, 2013, digital c-print. Courtesy of the artist.