Between 1983 and 1994, OHI conducted nearly 750 oral history interviews and took approximately 14,000 documentary photos in Utah’s Northern Ute, African American, Chinese, Jewish, Japanese, Greek, Italian and Latino communities. From this material, OHI created a public archive in the University of Utah’s Marriott Library; a modern-dance, “Separate Journeys,” with the Repertory Dance Theater; a traveling photo exhibit titled “Working Together: A Utah Portfolio;” and two publications: The Other Utahns: A Photographic Portfolio and Missing Stories: An Oral History of Ethnic and Minority Groups in Utah. (In 1990, the University’s Marriott Library acquired OHI’s documentary archive. Oral histories and photos can now be viewed through the Marriott Library, Special Collections section.)

During 1994-1996, in conjunction with Utah’s state Centennial, OHI produced a traveling photo exhibit titled, “Sacred Images: A Vision of Native American Rock Art,” and an accompanying book of the same title. The project presented color photos of Utah’s petroglyphs and pictographs. Major Utah sites were documented together with interviews with members of six regional Native-American communities about the historic, mythic, and ceremonial uses of these sites. In 1997, SLC celebrated the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of its founding, and Mayor Corradini commissioned OHI to assemble an exhibit presenting the city’s diverse pioneering heritage. The exhibit was displayed at the SLC City and County Building from July 23-December 31,1997.
Click for more.

Between 1998 and 1999, OHI documented the arrival of Soviet Jewish refugees in Utah. OHI focused on classic push and pull factors embedded in the migration from the USSR and the Former Soviet Union, producing “Streaked With Light and Shadow: Portraits of Former Soviet Jews in Utah,” a traveling exhibit and accompanying book. In 2000, OHI changed its name to Center for Documentary Arts (in late 2011, the name again was changed to Center for Documentary Expression and Art). Name changes reflect the organization’s aim of establishing a permanent public venue to present documentary exhibits with national and international human rights themes.

Between 2000-2002, CDA collaborated with the Utah Science Center and Global Artways to develop “The Leonardo: an Art, Culture, and Science Center.” At this time, CDA also produced “Faces and Voices of Refugee Youth,” a collection of intimate portraits and interviews with refugee children and teens attending SLC schools. The project received the 2002 Utah Education Association’s Charles E. Bennett Award for Human and Civil Rights and the 2003 NEA Appelgate-Dorros Award for Peace and International Understanding. Click for more.
In 2003 Salt Lake City residents passed a $10.3 million General Obligation Bond to renovate the 100,000 square foot downtown library and establish The Leonardo: An Art, Culture, and Science Center. CDA also brought in the traveling exhibit “After September 11: Images From Ground Zero” by celebrated color photographer Joel Meyerowitz. Meyerowitz was the only photographer given unimpeded access to the cleanup of the World Trade Center site.

In 2005, CDA hosted “Exodus,” an exhibit of 300 black-and-white photos by legendary documentary photographer Sebastiao Salgado. The internationally-traveling exhibit was presented at the downtown SLC library to introduce the forthcoming Leonardo and the CDA Human Rights Gallery. “Exodus” presented the journeys of African, European, and Asian political and economic refugees in the final decade of the 20th century. During its 10-week stay, “Exodus” drew more than 14,000 people. Accompanying the exhibit were a lecture series, a Human Rights Fair, readings and art classes for children. Exhibit co-sponsors included the Salt Lake Film Center, SLC Government, and the University of Utah College of the Humanities. Click for more.
In 2005, CDA also started work on “From Many Shores,” a project that used immigrant, migrant and refugee oral histories to illuminate the history of SLC’s West Side. As a part of the project, CDA introduced “Peace,” an exhibit of photos by Westminster Professor David Baddley. The display highlighted the “International Peace Gardens,” located on SLC’s west side. “Peace” was displayed at the Salt Lake Art Center from Dec. 21, 2006-Jan. 27, 2007. An exhibit catalog also was prepared.

Between 2007-2011 CDA/CDEA produced “This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement.” This Light presented the Civil Rights Movement through the images  and voices of nine activist photographers who documented the struggle against segregation and other forms of race-based disenfranchisement from within the movement. The core of “This Light” was a selection of 157 black-and-white photos and accompanying audio guides with the photographers. In addition, the project included a 252-page exhibit catalogue of the same title published by the Univ. Press of Mississippi, and a curriculum guide for Social Studies teachers in grades 4-12 and Fine Arts/Photography teachers in grades 7-12.