Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 18 hours ago
The African American women in Charles White’s artworks possess tremendous physical capability and rich interior lives. These depictions of women contributed to an artistic conversation around feminism between White, Elizabeth Catlett, Gordon Parks, and others from the 1930s through the 1950s. Even writers and activists engaged with White’s work; activist Esther Cooper Jackson published White’s drawings in her journal, Freedom Ways, as if to illustrate her central idea that the state of American democracy could be seen in the living conditions of the black women.
In her talk from the John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art, “American Communities, Then and Now,” held on February 8, 2019, Kellie Jones describes how White’s contemporaries helped to shape his work and to provide feminist images of black women in the mid-20th century.
Learn more about the National Gallery and the collection: nga.gov/collection.html
The John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art is made possible by a generous grant from The Walton Family Foundation.
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#Art #NationalGalleryOfArt #Wilmerding #TheWaltonFamilyFoundation #GordonParks #RobinCosteLewis #MelaneeCHarvey #CharlesWhite #KellieJones #RichardJPowell #ArchibaldMotley #LauraWexler #DevinAllen #EricGottesman #RickLowe #MasequaMyers
The African American women in Charles White’s artworks possess tremendous physical capability and rich interior lives. These depictions of women contributed to an artistic conversation around feminism between White, Elizabeth Catlett, Gordon Parks, and others from the 1930s through the 1950s. Even writers and activists engaged with White’s work; activist Esther Cooper Jackson published White’s drawings in her journal, Freedom Ways, as if to illustrate her central idea that the state of American democracy could be seen in the living conditions of the black women.
In her talk from the John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art, “American Communities, Then and Now,” held on February 8, 2019, Kellie Jones describes how White’s contemporaries helped to shape his work and to provide feminist images of black women in the mid-20th century.
Learn more about the National Gallery and the collection: nga.gov/collection.html
The John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art is made possible by a generous grant from The Walton Family Foundation.
Still haven’t subscribed to our YouTube channels?
National Gallery of Art ►►youtube.com/NationalGalleryofArtUS
National Gallery of Art Talks ►►youtube.com/NationalGalleryofArtTalks
ABOUT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
The National Gallery of Art serves the nation by welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity.
More National Gallery of Art Content:
Facebook: facebook.com/nationalgalleryofart
Twitter: twitter.com/ngadc
Instagram: instagram.com/ngadc
Pinterest: pinterest.com/ngadc/_created
E-News: nga.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=e894a1837aca4526f7e8a11b3&id=2085ff9475
#Art #NationalGalleryOfArt #Wilmerding #TheWaltonFamilyFoundation #GordonParks #RobinCosteLewis #MelaneeCHarvey #CharlesWhite #KellieJones #RichardJPowell #ArchibaldMotley #LauraWexler #DevinAllen #EricGottesman #RickLowe #MasequaMyers
