George Walker Gallery

George Walker Gallery Welcome to George Walker Gallery, the home of MusicCityStories.com

03/13/2026

A few joints that are influenced by artists Jacob Lawrence , Elizabeth Catlett, James Vanderzee, Horace Pippin all of whom I learned of while eye and ear hustling in art classes ...

The snaps from Nashville's Bicentennial Celebration give you an idea what the " Riverfront " looked like before it's current development and crowd size for the event ...

You are seeing Mayor Richard Fulton and wife Sandra with Bill B***r leading a group of folk along 1st Avenue ...

Lamar Alexander, Johnnie Cash, and Mayor Fulton posed for me because I had photographed them all for national publications previously, except for the Mayor ...

Tennessee State University Band performed in courthouse Plaza ...

I walked on water to get the pioneers floating south on the Cumberland River ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

03/02/2026

Whatever the assignment, I always had ideas/themes of photographs I wanted to make running through my kop all the time ...

This approach provided different content available for sharing for a long time ...

Some would try to seek those ideas daily or attempt them in a studio, me when you see it grab it ...

The idea couples evolves via of different shoots ...

A few of the couples you'll recognize for their national and international prominence ...

Each joint has it's own story or you can make up your own based on what you see and know 😏 ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/26/2026

TBT-A Black History Month reel features some of those whose deeds during the 70's some may not want to remember ...

This is my approach to being a Black Photographer different than all others ...

Being a " woke " political science student and having made substantial monies as a student by photographing Sen. Ted Kennedy on his visit to Nashville for the grand opening of the Kennedy Learning Center at then Peabody College, now a part of Vanderbilt University, after this event, I realized that photographing political figures and all things Southern was my path as a photographer ...

Everyone featured most will recognize on sight, more importantly they all participated in " The Southern Strategy " if you don’t know wake up ...

George Wallace and I saw each other around the south so much that he had to explain to his wife why we Greeted each other with a " hi cuz " at the opening of the Grand Ole Opry in 1974 ...

A bit of historical perspectives on the folk in costume , the costume originates from Moorish Masonry Knights of Seville Spain 🇪🇸 ... Black " flava " is hijacked ...

During this assignment we did engage in robust and unpleasant back and forth ...

They didn't make me angry , but one Ole boy did make me laugh when I put on my " Nam " issued combat helmet said
" goddammit they dropping Nigerian paratroopers on us " I thought it funny 😁 😂 that he knew of Nigeria ...

These are some of the folk I set out to document so they wouldn't be forgotten ...

I have been fortunate to have had 3 curators in a face to face " sit down " say this was history they wanted to forget, which tells me 50+ years ago I did the right thing by not attempting to attend law school ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/23/2026

A reel for "Black History Month " that demonstrates my ability as a jazz musician would say "stretch out "

All the snaps presented here would pass critical scrutiny by any of my teachers and mentors who included Bobby Sengstacke, photographer, Dr.David Driskell, Earl Hooks, Gregory ( Greg) Ridley and Carlton Moss , 1st Black Film maker in Hollywood ...

Looking back, I now understand why I was allowed to illegally sit in the back of Art Department classes to eye & ear hustle, grant me my first one man exhibition and teach for one semester ...

After matriculating when I was in the company of my teachers and mentors, more often than not they had seen some photograph published In a national or international publication, NYT, Time, Newsweek, Ebony ,Paris Match, L'Express, Bunte, Manchete ... and they all had the same comment " I/we see you " with a smile and a " keep doing it " .

This was part of my encouragement ...

Locations include a village along the Ghana/Togo, Aegean Island Village, Nashville, Tn Memphis, Tn ...

Can you discern whose influence is reflected in each snap?

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/19/2026

TBT- "Black History Month" These joints were snapped in North NashvilIe in the late 60's to early 70's ...

A few were for assignments , one a political campaign brochure, Ali stopped Meharry in ' 75 , the kid with a rifle stood on the adjacent property line during the filming of the Wilma Rudolph movie I was on the set of ...

When I ventured to New York to solicit work from picture agencies and news publications an image or two from this group were included ...

I had sit downs with Howard Chapnick at Black Star Picture Agency , Michel Bernard, Gamma/Liaison, Picture Editors at NYT, Time, and Newsweek ...

Great stories for another time ...

Until then enjoy what I saw ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/17/2026

Sorry to hear of Rev.Jesse Jackson's passing 😢

I had the opportunity and pleasure of photographing him on a couple of occasions when he visited Nashville ...

He visited Fisk on a few occasions one where he received a t-shirt from the students in Fisk University Chapel ...

I was working on a Southern Prison story when I was able to accompany Rev.Jackson through the Tennessee State Prison ... this was 1972

A good take 👌 and representation of his energy ...

RIP 🙏 Rev.J.J.

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/16/2026

Here is a piece of my " Black History " as a photographer...

Many moons ago when I was a youngster we had " Negro History Week " . I was not exposed to any sort of integrated education until I attended Fisk University ...

Presidents Day happens during " Black History Month " and as a young black photographer whose beat included the south during the 70's , I had the opportunity to be as rare as hen's teeth by covering major political events and personalities regardless of politics ...

I managed to snap the presidents of my epoch ...

Presidents , Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter , Ronald Reagan film not returned ...

Wannabes , Ted Kennedy, George Wallace, Morris Udall,
Nelson Rockefeller , Howard Baker , Walter Mondale

Not many get this opportunity ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/12/2026

TBT- A " Black History Month " Theme is " Integration "

Integration was a goal of the Civil Rights Movement.

Being in an in*******al marriage I focused on the interactions of Black folk and other races wherever I was.

Some may try to set up different scenarios to reflect the attitudes of the epoch ...

What you draw from these images is from your point of view ...

A bit of " Strange Fruit " or " Secret Love "

All images were made between late 60's to early 80's

Enjoy, comment, repost and purchase , whatever moves your spirit ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/09/2026

A few images from the 70's snapped on the campus of Fisk University where I was a student ...

I was fortunate to have been granted the opportunity to exhibit my work by Dr.David Driskell and after Bobby Sengstacke moved on , teach photography for one semester ...

Exact dates escape me but it's 73-75

The gentleman playing piano and having a smoke is Eubie Blake known for the piano playing style called "StridePiano " musicians and the " woke " know ...

Stevie Wonder spoke to the graduating class ...

Rev.Jesse Jackson recieved a Rev.J.J. -t- shirt in Chapel

Rev.Jesse Jackson has a conversation with Rufus Thomas ( R&B singer " Walking the Dog " )

Alex Haley along with the Governor Ray Blanton stopped by Carl Van Vechten Gallery, met by Art Department Chairman Earl Hooks and Curator Robert Hall ...

The march against Vanderbilt University hosting "Davis Cup " matches against South Africa originated on the Fisk Campus and faculty from most all Nashville Universities participated ...

At the time South Africa was still practicing Apartheid , Vanderbilt was heavily invested in South Africa plus had a South African student Peter Lamb who was to participate on the South African team ...

I drew the assignment for international news publications in most all the Commonwealth Nations ...

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

02/05/2026

TBT -" Black Movers and Shakers " of the 70's

In 1968 with the $50 m2r Leica, I attended the " I AM A MAN MARCH " in Memphis, Tn with a bus load of people from Edgehill United Methodist Church pastor, Bill Barnes ( Wm H.Barnes ) .

I didn't make one snap ... I didn't know how to use the m2r I had bought ...

This would have been my only opportunity to get any images of the event and possibly Dr. Martin L. King ...

Totally unprepared ...

Upon my return to Nashville, I enrolled in the photography classes offered by the Art Department at Fisk University taught by Robert A. Sengstacke ( Bobby ) former Chief Photographer at the Chicago Daily Defender which was owned by his family .

The paper founded in 1905 was responsible for the decline of the free labour throughout the south and migration of blacks to the " Promised Land " , Chicago via it's distribution channel " Pullman Porters " traveling south and nation on trains .

I found the class because I wanted to learn how to use my camera .

Bobby's news background fit what I saw as a viable way to be creative and get paid consistently ...

It is my supposition that Dr.David Driskell hired Bobby and the 1st Black Hollywood Film maker Carlton Moss back in the day not only for their skills but politics check em out , in hope that a thoroughbred or two will be produced ...

Looks like he got lucky and had two ,

John Simmons, ASC an Emmy Award Winner , Artist/Photographer

George Walker lll, photographer with a lot of history that many would love to forget ...

Joe Louis is the only luck snap ... never expected to photograph him

02/02/2026

For the beginning of " Black History Month " I'll take us across the pond to the " Motherland " the continent of Africa ...

Thirteen are from Africa and features the second oldest slave castle along the west coast of Africa in Ghana, Cape Coast Castle ...

The 14th image is from the early 70's snapped while chasing Rev .Ralph D. Abernathy of SCLC on a get the vote campaign in the Mississippi Delta ...

I call this joint " The Cotton Picker " where my money at ?

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION

01/22/2026

A few joints representing street photography , skills as a photojournalist on assignment and a bit of history showing people , places and events ...

Opening snap is of Ben Vereen and Lou Gossett Jr someplace Chicago 70's ( actors ) and Rev.Jesse Jackson inside Tennessee State Prison early 70's

You see a young Julian Bond and Benjamin Hooks of the NAACP not in agreement

Other location is Mississippi Delta

Eyes will always give you some insight ...

What do you see and feel if anything?

©️ 2026 GWCOLLECTION


Address

P. O. Box 41634
Nashville, TN
37204

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16153080182

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when George Walker Gallery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to George Walker Gallery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category