Black History Month
Our Nation is rich in diversity and culture. This year, in celebration of Black History Month, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee would like to share with you some influential creativity and art by black artists from yesterday and today.
Alma Thomas was a public school teacher in Washington D.C. who was later known for her beautiful and abstract artwork upon her retirement. Her piece “Resurrection” was later displayed in the dining room of the White House by President and First Lady Obama. Alma Thomas became the first female black artist to have her artwork displayed in the White House. Learn more about this extraordinary artist:
Let’s look at other black artists who have influenced our art through writing, acting, music, painting and sculpting!
Books/Authors
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Kindred by Octavia F. Butler
The Heave & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
I know why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
All About Love by Bell Hooks
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Poetry/Authors
The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni
This is the Honey by Kwame Alexander
Films Featuring Black Actors
Glory, 1989
Lady Sings the Blues with Diana Ross, 1972
Straight Outta Compton, 2015
Harriet, 2019
Music by Black Artists
Erykah Badu – Baduizm
Otis Redding – Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
Martin Gaye – Greatest Hits
Beyonce: Lemonade
Paintings/Painter
The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner
No Woman, No Cry by Chris Ofili
The Migration Series by Jacob Lawrence
Portrait of a Man in a Blue Turban by Kehinde Wiley
The Bridge by Thornton Dial
The Embrace by Hank Willis Thomas
The Way the Moon’s in Love with the Dark by Fred Wilson