The theme for Black History Month 2024 focuses on “African Americans and the Arts”. This theme is infused with African, Caribbean, and Black American lived experiences. Black History Month 2024 highlights the ‘art of resistance’ and the artists who used their crafts to uplift the race, speak truth to power and inspire a nation.

Art, through poetry, books, music, dance, visual arts, spoken word, fashion and textiles and digital media, has always been a platform for social justice. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans.

Being an artist requires talent, but, for the African-American artists, talent is not always enough. In nineteenth century America, race often determined who could be trained in the arts. There were no special schools or places where African Americans could freely exhibit their talents. These talented artists were excluded from the academies, associations, and teaching institutions available to white artists. In rare cases, beneficent white families broke the rules and provided knowledge, direction, and resources to budding African American talents in the arts. Many of these white patrons were among the abolitionists of this period in American history. Through it all, with or without support, the voice of the African American artist has transformed the world.

African American artists — poets, writers, visual artists, and dancers — have historically served as change agents through their crafts.

“Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. We are civilization’s radical voice. “

Paul Robeson (1898-1976)

Concert artist, actor, athlete and activist