Blogs

African American art

Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Barbara Chase-Riboud

Thursday, June 26, 2025 | Karl Cole

The tradition of African American women sculptors goes all the way back to the 1800s with Edmonia Lewis (1844–1907), continues through the Harlem Renaissance in the person of Augusta Savage (189 ...

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Curator's Corner

National Skilled Trades Day: Jacob Lawrence

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | Karl Cole

National Skilled Trades Day was established in 2019 by the National Day Calendar and City Machine Technologies, Inc. Skilled workers are employed in a variety of fields and positions that can be perso ...

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Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Elizabeth Catlett

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | Karl Cole

Elizabeth Catlett’s body of work as an artist was predominantly intended to connect with and honor achievements of African Americans, particularly women. Her works about women such as this army ...

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Curator's Corner

National Library Week: Jacob Lawrence

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | Karl Cole

Established in 1958, National Library Week has been sponsored by the American Library Association. It now has international recognition. National Library Week was started to encourage the support and ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Cey Adams

Monday, February 24, 2025 | Karl Cole

Throughout the history of the United States, African American artists have been pioneers in many artistic movement. Since the Harlem Renaissance (ca. 1920s–1930s), many Black American ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Ali and Chase-Riboud

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | Karl Cole

The Curator’s Corner celebration of Black History Month continues with two contemporary artists whose personal visions are broadly different, but fascinating nonetheless—Laylah Ali and Bar ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Woodruff, Lewis, Jennings

Monday, February 10, 2025 | Karl Cole

My celebration of Black History Month continues with three more artists who are very important in the history of art—Hale Woodruff, Norman Lewis, and Wilmer Jennings. They represent the divergen ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Herring, Tolliver, Middleton

Monday, February 3, 2025 | Karl Cole

I’m kicking off National Black History Month with artists I find fascinating. Their styles are extraordinary, and their names are probably not on the tips of every art historian’s tongue&m ...

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Curator's Corner

Emancipated Artist: Moses Williams

Monday, June 17, 2024 | Karl Cole

In honor of Juneteenth this week, I present an earlier experience of emancipation—that of artist Moses Williams. When he was 9 years old, Williams’s parents were emancipated. At the time, ...

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Curator's Corner

March into March: Allan Rohan Crite

Monday, March 4, 2024 | Karl Cole

As we march into March—and spring—let’s bid a temporary goodbye to Black History Month with a painting by Boston’s own Allan Rohan Crite. I was greatly privileged to meet ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Gee's Bend Quilter

Monday, February 26, 2024 | Karl Cole

African American artists have had a tremendous influence on the miscellaneous arts in America since before the Civil War (1861–1865). The women of the Gee’s Bend community in Alabama have ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Beauford Delaney

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 | Karl Cole

My Black History Month series continues this week with the artwork of Beauford Delaney. Delaney was one of the few African American artists of his Harlem Renaissance generation who primarily pursued a ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Mequitta Ahuja

Monday, February 12, 2024 | Karl Cole

My celebration of African American artists who have brought beauty into the world continues. This week I present the compelling self-portraits of African American and South Asian American artist Mequi ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month: Hale Woodruff

Monday, February 5, 2024 | Karl Cole

Let’s celebrate Black artists who have brought beauty into the world through their art. This week, I’m sharing the stunning watercolors of Hale Woodruff. Since I find watercolor to be a ve ...

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Curator's Corner

Celebrating Juneteenth: Norman Lewis

Monday, June 19, 2023 | Karl Cole

In celebration of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, let’s honor Harlem Renaissance (ca. 1920s–1930s) (and beyond) artist Norman Lewis, one of the earliest African American artists to embrace abs ...

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Curator's Corner

Black History Month 2023: Betye Saar

Monday, February 27, 2023 | Karl Cole

Since the 1970s, Betye Saar has been an important artist in both the Feminist Art Movement and in the ever-surging vitality and legacy of African American art. She is one of the most important assembl ...

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