Augusta Savage
Sculptor Augusta Savage was one of the leading artists of the Harlem Renaissance as well as an influential activist and arts educator.
Famous Black Artists
They are the famous African-American artists who have exquisitely shared portrayals of historic events and individuals, cultural perspectives, and the experiences and struggles of minorities through their artwork. Examine our list of pivotal black artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, who helped to bring African-American and Latino experiences into the elite art world through his graffiti works; Augusta Savage, a sculptor and leading artist of the Harlem Renaissance, who experienced racial discrimination by an art program's selection committee; and Kara Walker, who has used paper silhouettes to depict race and gender relations.
People In This Group
Edmonia Lewis
The first professional African-American and Native-American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis earned critical praise for work that explored religious and classical themes.
Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence was an American painter, and the most widely acclaimed African-American artist of the 20th century. He is best known for his Migration Series.
Horace Pippin
Horace Pippin was an esteemed artist known for his renderings of the African-American experience, as well as biblical and historical imagery.
Laura Wheeler Waring
An African-American artist and painter, Laura Wheeler Waring created portraits of many well-known figures from the NAACP and the Civil Rights Movement.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat was a Neo-Expressionist painter in the 1980s. He is best known for his primitive style and his collaboration with pop artist Andy Warhol.
Simmie Knox
Painter Simmie Knox is the first African-American artist to create an official U.S. presidential portrait. He debuted his portrait of President Bill Clinton in 2004.
James Van Der Zee
James Van Der Zee was a renowned, Harlem-based photographer known for his posed, storied pictures capturing African-American citizenry and celebrity.
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Henry Ossawa Tanner was an American painter who frequently depicted biblical scenes and is best known for the paintings "Nicodemus Visiting Jesus," "The Banjo Lesson" and "The Thankful Poor." He was the first African-American painter to gain international fame.
Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold is an American artist and author who became famous for creating innovative, quilted narrations that communicate her political beliefs.
Lorna Simpson
Lorna Simpson is a photographer whose work explores stereotypes of race and gender, most often with an emphasis on African American women.
Betye Saar
Betye Saar is best known for her art work that critiques American racism toward blacks.
Gwendolyn Bennett
Gwendolyn Bennett was a noted Harlem Renaissance figure who was a poet, fiction-writer, journalist and visual artist, later helming educational programs.
E. Simms Campbell
E. Simms Campbell was the first African-American syndicated cartoonist, particularly known for his illustrations for Esquire magazine.
Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks was a prolific, world-renowned photographer, writer, composer and filmmaker known for his work on projects like Shaft and The Learning Tree.
Kara Walker
Kara Walker is an African-American artist who rose to fame for her use of large paper silhouettes to explore social issues surrounding gender, race and black history.