Pryor

On behalf of the Peoria Riverfront Museum board of directors, it gives me great pleasure to announce the capstone exhibition of our America 250 series. In the first major museum exhibition dedicated to his life and legacy, Peoria celebrates arguably the most famous Peoria native of all time, Richard Pryor.

Last week we opened PRYOR, the latest in our Peoria Plays America exhibition series, with remarks from Board Chair Derek Schryer, President and CEO John Morris, Chief Curator Bill Conger, Director of Community Engagement and Assistant Curator Everley Davis, and a special announcement from our guest, nationally renowned artist Felandus Thames. Exhibition sponsor Ron Givens and board members Aaron Kilgore, board president of the Carver Center, where Pryor got his start, and Dr. Derrick Booth, whose uncle was Pryor’s closest lifelong friend, also spoke. Special advisor Seth Kaller, curator of The Promise of Liberty, joined us for the event.

PRYOR

The centerpiece of PRYOR is a beaded portrait of the iconic comedian, actor, and philosopher, Richard Pryor himself. Commissioned by the museum from artist Felandus Thames, it will inspire generations at the Peoria Riverfront Museum to remember that greatness comes from right here, where we stand.

From images taken by renowned photographer Henry Diltz at the peak of Pryor’s career to the worldwide debut of the artistic homage by Thames, and recollections from his daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, our self-curated exhibition traces Pryor’s extraordinary journey from Peoria, Illinois, to the forefront of American comedy and popular culture. Through never-before-seen photographs, artwork, objects, new acquisitions, and archival material, discover the people, places, and experiences that shaped him and the groundbreaking career that changed the face of comedy forever.

Born and raised in Peoria, Pryor left his hometown for the bright lights of Hollywood, but Peoria never left him. The people and experiences of his early life became part of the raw material for an audacious new kind of comedy: vulnerable, fearless, and brutally honest. With an unparalleled ability to find humor in the deeply personal, Pryor transformed his own experiences into incisive observations about race, class, relationships and American life.

Pryor became a Grammy and Emmy Award winner, a celebrated actor and entertainer, a prolific writer and producer, and the first Black person to host Saturday Night Live. His uncompromising approach to storytelling helped redefine what stand-up comedy could be, inspiring generations of comedians and entertainers who followed.

Before he became an American icon, Richard Pryor was a young, talented boy from Peoria, Illinois.

We are grateful to exhibition sponsors Ron and Carrie Givens and Family, Aaron and Amanda Kilgore, America 250 Donors, Visionary Society, Friends of Bronzeville to Harlem, and Illinois Arts Council.