Historically, and in our own time, African American artists have foregrounded in their work the social, political, and cultural successes of Black Americans and have offered vociferous critiques of violations of their civil rights, and of systemic racism.

In their art, they questioned racial stereotyping and engaged their audience in thoughtful, but also provocative interrogations of the cultural and socio-political marginalizations of African Americans in American society. Through the critical lens of the political, legal, and cultural changes that marked the transition from slavery to the Civil War to the Civil Rights period in the 1960s and 1970s, this presentation will examine depictions of the multifaceted and highly politicized dimensions of “race” and American identity in the artistic production of African American artists. Artists as such as Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Kara Walker, Fred Wilson, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis, among many others, will be discussed.

This lecture will analyze works by African American artists in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, among others, as the means of resistance and political activism aiming to dismantle racial prejudice and celebrate multilayered African American identities. Presenter: Dr. Evie Terrono, Randolph-Macon College.

This program will be conducted online through Zoom. All registrants will receive a link to the program prior to the event. Use this link to join on the day and time of the program. Please plan to join this meeting five minutes early to help ensure that technical issues are dealt with before the program starts. Further information may also be sent with the link. Please include a valid email address with your registration. 

To register, visit the link.

This program has been funded by the Friends of Montclair Library.