Photo: @garytylerstudios/Instagram
A Black man who spent more than four decades in prison after being sentenced to death at 17 has received a solo museum exhibition showcasing his quilts.
According to NPR, Gary Tyler’s artwork is featured in Gary Tyler: Rebirth at the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan. The exhibition is the first museum show dedicated to quilts by the Los Angeles-based fiber artist and activist, according to the museum.
In 1974, Tyler was 16 when a white mob attacked a school bus carrying Black students during protests against school desegregation in Louisiana.
A gunshot killed 13-year-old Timothy Weber, and Tyler was charged with his murder.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an all-white jury convicted Tyler of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to death at 17.
Tyler maintained his innocence for decades. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles were unconstitutional, a decision that applied retroactively.
In 2016, prosecutors agreed to vacate Tyler’s murder conviction in exchange for a guilty plea to manslaughter. He received a 21-year sentence but was released because he had already served 41 years in prison, according to Death Penalty Focus.
While incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, Tyler learned to quilt and used the craft to help raise money for the prison hospice program.
His quilts feature layered fabric designs that reflect his experiences in prison and the lives of people who remain incarcerated.
The exhibition opened October 3 and runs through January 3, 2027.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.