| When people speak of African American Art, | | | | of African decent who were brought to America |
| normally they are referring to a racial | | | | were genetically equipped to work in the creative |
| phenomenon, with paintings, sculptures, graphic | | | | art fields. Most African bought to America came |
| arts, and crafts all rolled into one product. The | | | | from West Africa. This section of Africa was |
| truth is that just as the Blues influenced all | | | | highly developed in the arts. As a daily part of |
| American music, Art by persons of African | | | | cultural life, wood-carvers, metalworkers designed |
| descent has help to shape the cultural and social | | | | the images, totem animals and other objects that |
| traditions of American Art. Of course, young | | | | were so important tribal life. The designers and |
| people today are heavy into hip-hop, but the | | | | weavers of the African appeal could have given |
| Blues is still going strong. If young people do not | | | | any of the "fashion big boys" a run for their |
| want to listen to the Blues they should at least | | | | money. In tracing the roots of American Art, it is |
| know that the city of Memphis is keeping the | | | | acknowledged that concepts flowed from Egypt |
| Blues alive. They all need to visit Beale Street in | | | | to Mesopotamia, Greece and finally to Rome. |
| Memphis at least one time. Memphis was the | | | | Westerners seem to forget that Egypt is in |
| place where blues performers first brought the | | | | Africa, and the biggest influence on Egypt was |
| Blues to national attention and the Blues is still | | | | sub-Sahara Africa. |
| going strong. | | | | African American Art has followed the path |
| Because people of African descent had to evolve | | | | through cotton patches of the South and to the |
| with the weight of Slavery and Jim Crow on their | | | | city streets of Harlem, New York. Most of the |
| shoulders, it is amazing that African American Art | | | | African American "greats" passed through Harlem. |
| has grown to be such a force in the world of art. | | | | At that time it was called: "The New Negro |
| African American Artist, despite the adversities, | | | | Movement". It is said that the blooming of African |
| has made outstanding creative contributions to | | | | American social thought happened in Harlem during |
| the American Society. Racial bias for a long time | | | | the 1920's to 1930's. Literature, theater, dance, |
| prevented the majority of African Americans | | | | painting and sculpture all begin to have a profound |
| Artist from receiving recognition and acceptance, | | | | influence through out the United States and even |
| yet as early as the eighteenth century Blacks | | | | around the world. There are too many |
| worked in the field of painting and woodcarving. In | | | | outstanding artist associated with the Harlem |
| the latter part of the nineteenth century a | | | | Renaissance to list, but I will leave you with a |
| number of African American Artist became | | | | short list and you can do further research: |
| distinguished painters and sculptors. | | | | - William H. |
| What most people don't realize is that the people | | | | |