After hearing Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at a convention in Denver, Omaha native Rudy Smith was forever changed. The award-winning photographer Rudy Smith chronicled news events with his camera including Omaha’s race upheavals and the 1968 visit of Robert Kennedy who was campaigning in North Omaha two weeks before his assassination.

Throughout Smith's photography career, he worked as both the objective observer and the committed activist. During a time of Civil Rights turmoil and reform in America, Smith photographed historical subjects such as protests, marches, and riots. We invite you to tune in for a live exhibit of his selected work, along with panelists who will talk about the importance of Smith’s work and how he made a national difference.

The panelists include Llana Smith, the widow of Rudy Smith, Kristine Gerber, a local historian and publisher, and Janice Gilmore, a former columnist of the Omaha World Herald and former Omaha Public Schools principal. This panel discussion will be streamed to O-pa's Facebook and YouTube channels. Links will be available one week prior to the event.