Five Black Female Artists Who Shaped 20th-Century American Art
Five influential Black women significantly shaped American art throughout the 20th century. Augusta Savage (1892-1962) broke barriers as the first African American to join the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors and opened Harlem’s first gallery in 1937. Alma Thomas, who began painting at the age of 68, made history with her groundbreaking solo exhibit at the Whitney Museum in 1972. Betye Saar, born in 1926, is renowned for her powerful collages. Norma Sklarek (1926-2012) became the first Black female architect licensed in both New York and California. Lastly, Carrie Mae Weems gained acclaim in the 1990s for her renowned 'Kitchen Table Series.'
Key facts
- Augusta Savage was the first Black member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors.
- Augusta Savage became the first director of the Harlem Community Art Center in 1937.
- Augusta Savage founded the first gallery in Harlem.
- Augusta Savage created 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' for the 1939 New York World's Fair.
- Alma Thomas became a full-time artist at age 68 after retiring from teaching.
- Alma Thomas was the first Black female artist to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1972.
- Betye Irene Saar created 'The Liberation of Aunt Jemima' in 1972.
- Norma Merrick Sklarek was the first African American woman licensed as an architect in New York (1954) and California (1962).
- Norma Merrick Sklarek co-founded the largest woman-owned architectural firm in the US in 1985.
- Carrie Mae Weems created the 'Kitchen Table Series' in the early 1990s.
Entities
Artists
- Augusta Savage
- Alma Thomas
- Betye Irene Saar
- Norma Merrick Sklarek
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Wassily Kandinsky
- Cindy Sherman
- Hattie McDaniel
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Rosa Parks
- Margot Siegel
- Katherine Diamond
Institutions
- National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors
- Harlem Community Art Center
- New York World's Fair
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Columbia University
- Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
- Sheldon Museum of Art
- The Phillips Collection
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Washington Shaw Junior High School
Locations
- United States
- New York
- Harlem
- Saugerties
- Washington, DC
- Los Angeles
- California
- Oregon
- Lincoln