Lower East Side street honors Jack Kirby
On May 11, the American Jewish Historical Society celebrated noted comic book legend Jack Kirby by naming the corner of Essex and Delancey streets on the Lower East Side street “Jack Kirby Way.” The celebration also kicked off the opening of an exhibition to honor Mr. Kirby’s Jewish roots, Lower East Side upbringing, and enduring impact on American pop culture.
The exhibition, “The Jack Kirby Way: How a boy from the Lower East Side became the King of Comics,” presented with the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center, will be on view at AJHS through November 26.
Spearheaded by AJHS board member and pop culture historian Roy Schwartz, the street-naming initiative honors Mr. Kirby, born Jacob Kurtzberg in 1917 to Jewish immigrant parents on the Lower East Side, who went on to co-create iconic characters such as Captain America, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Iron Man, Black Panther, and many more.
The for-all-ages exhibition includes more than 70 unique items, many never seen publicly before, including original art and rare comics, taking visitors on a journey through New York history, Jewish history, and comic book history — uniting comic fans, history buffs, and anyone interested in a classic American story about a dreamer who changed the world with a pencil and unbridled imagination.
The exhibition is free. Reservations for groups may be required. For information, call or go to www.ajhs.org and search for exhibits.
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