The Portraits Project
2019-2024
The Portraits Collection of Mechanics Hall consists of 24 portraits honoring distinguished Americans whose legacies reflect the values of the Mechanics Association founders: education, innovation, and a commitment to human welfare. With the exception of the portrait depicting George Washington, the portraits represent 19th century contemporaries who were Mechanics, Civil War heroes, political leaders, and social reformers with direct ties to Worcester.
As a hub of cultural, social, educational and civic events, Mechanics Hall plays an important role in Worcester and the surrounding region. And as stewards of the Hall's legacy, in 2019 the Association recognized the opportunity - and the imperative - to better reflect the whole of Worcester's community and the contributions of Black Americans who played pivotal roles in establishing Mechanics Hall as a platform for social justice. The Association concluded that additions to the Great Hall's portrait gallery would provide the visible, visceral and lasting tribute they sought.
Led by Mechanics Hall Executive Director Kathleen Gagne, the Association convened a group of experienced historians, preservationists, and art professionals together with Association trustees and members of the community. The newly formed Portraits Project Committee embarked on a five-year journey to determine the portraits' subjects, select artists, and establish the funding for the bold new installation.
A Remarkable Worcester Family: The Goldsberry family on the Brown family legacy
After considerable deliberation, the Project Committee proposed commissioning portraits of extraordinary Black Americans whose lives and legacies embodied the values and social reform concerns of the early Mechanics Association. The Committee ultimately identified Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and William and Martha (Tulip) Brown.
Installed in January 2024, the portraits shine a light on the 19th century history of Mechanics Hall and of Worcester, provide a fitting representation of the 21st century community in which we live and declare, through art, that Black history is American history.
- Portraits Project eBooklet
The Mechanics Hall Portraits Project was made possible through the generous support of community donors, led by our Legacy Donors
MA Cultural Council, Saint-Gobain Abrasives, George I. Alden Trust,
The Fletcher Foundation, The Ruth H. & Warren A. Ellsworth Foundation,
M&T Bank, Arthur & Martha Pappas Foundation,
Worcester State University, Clark University