I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. —Martin Luther King Jr., “Beyond Vietnam,” 1967

In the May 1967 issue of Ramparts Magazine, Martin Luther King, Jr. published a condensed version of his searing “Beyond Vietnam” speech under the title "Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam." In it he named militarism, materialism, and racism as the “giant triplets” threatening American democracy and called for a “revolution of values.”

Just days later, Dr. King led a march to the United Nations during which, for the first time, a group of Vietnam veterans marched under a banner declaring Vietnam Veterans Against the War. This public act of defiance marked the birth of one of the most radical anti-war organizations in US history, demonstrating that those trained for war could become some of its fiercest opponents.

A Revolution of Values traces this lineage of resistance through the work of veteran artists who have turned away from militarism and toward solidarity. The exhibition includes ceramics, sculpture, papermaking, printmaking, photography, poetry and other forms that show the range of ways veteran artists examine their military experiences and critique militarism across generations.

Featured artists include: Drew Cameron, Brittney Chantele, Rodney Ewing, Eric J. Garcia, GOODW.Y.N., Gina Herrera, Nathan Lewis, Ehren Tool, archival materials from Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Iraq Veterans Against the War, and more

A Revolution of Values claims and centers this lineage of resistance to celebrate the way veteran artists turn from militarism towards solidarity, exemplifying the “revolution of values” Dr. King called for. The exhibition highlights the vast array of creative processes veteran artists use across generations to express this radical turn.

A Revolution of Values is one of the four featured exhibitions of the 2026 Veteran Art Triennial, RESISTING THE LONG WAR curated by Aaron Hughes, Mohamed Mehdi, and Amber Zora. The Triennial highlights artists’ creative defiance to war and militarism. The featured artworks lift up overlapping legacies of war resistance, presenting alternative visions of peace, healing, and justice generated by diverse communities impacted by war.

Additional featured exhibitions will be at the Chicago Cultural Center, Hyde Park Art Center, and Walls Turned Sideway. Exhibition receptions will take place during the Veteran Art Summit November 5-8, 2026.

Elmhurst Art Museum is a Blue Star Museum.