American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture

American Prophets journeys through the pages of American history to explore the influence of religion and spirituality on writers and culture, with interactive displays incorporating more than 100 different creative works and writers spanning genres.

Across time and tradition, prophets have been those who see what others can’t, voices with uncommon insight who guide us toward deeper understanding. The writers in the American Prophets exhibit share that same visionary spark. They’re not prophets in the religious sense, but their words reveal extraordinary awareness of the world around them, insight born of belief, experience, and imagination. These writers invite us to see our culture, and ourselves, through new eyes.

Visitors to American Prophets will discover faith-inspired songs including Chance the Rapper’s “Blessings,” Patti Smith’s “Gloria” and Frank Waln’s “7.” They can compare the imagined worlds and faiths of Star Trek, Black Panther and Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower. And laugh through an exploration of holiness in humor with comedians including Mindy Kaling, Patton Oswalt, Hari Kondabolu and Joan Rivers.

The exhibit also includes a wall of religious artifacts from famous writers, including Harold Ramis’ pocket-sized primer The Five-Minute Buddhist, Flannery O’Connor’s rosary, Ursula K. Le Guin’s annotated copy of the Tao Te Ching, Samira Ahmed’s amulet with a Muslim prayer, and Los Lobos singer-songwriter Louie Pérez’s statue of the Santo Niño de Atocha.

American Prophets is a shared journey of reflection, inspiration, and connection through stories. Visit Today! Tickets to the museum are $16 for adults, $10 for seniors, students, and teachers. Free for members and children ages 12 and under. To inquire about discounted rates for groups of 10 or more, visit AmericanWritersMuseum.org/visit/groups/ or call 312-374-8765.