| While many of us know the basic ideas of | | | | movement. Pieces of these artists' work were |
| wheremodern African American art was | | | | displayed more prominently inmuseums and |
| inspired, the more we know, the betterwe can | | | | private homes. And while these works tended |
| include this art into our homes as well as | | | | toinclude simple nature scenes as well as |
| our hearts. | | | | portraits, they still foundsome struggle in |
| | | | getting shown in public areas in the |
| It's interesting to note that modern African | | | | UnitedStates. In Europe, however, African |
| American art began longbefore the idea of | | | | Americans were much moresuccessful in |
| 'modern art' was conceived. As early back | | | | garnering praise as well as showing of their |
| asslavery, African Americans were crafting | | | | work. Across the ocean, African Americans |
| iron pieces, pottery, quilts,baskets, | | | | were able to try new styles ofpainting and |
| cabinets, and silver. While many of these | | | | art as they were generally accepted. |
| tasks wererelegated to them, the utmost | | | | |
| craftsmanship was required and thus | | | | Moving into the modern African American art |
| theAfrican American population became quite | | | | phase, these AfricanAmerican artists were |
| skilled in these crafts. What's even more | | | | bolstered by the Harlem Renaissancemovement. |
| compelling about this situation is that the | | | | More artists than ever were getting |
| AfricanAmericans were generally allowed to | | | | recognition fortheir work, thus paving the |
| sell any work they did in their'off time' for | | | | away for African American art to not onlybe |
| profits they could keep, thus enabling them | | | | accepted, but also celebrated in artistic |
| to purchasetheir freedom from their masters. | | | | circles. EvenRoosevelt helped the African |
| | | | American art movement with the passing ofhis |
| But while most of these early examples of | | | | Works Progress Administration. |
| modern African American artwere for practical | | | | |
| purposes, other African Americans began to | | | | By seeing the struggles that the African |
| createportraits as artistic pieces. Artists | | | | American artists went throughto come into |
| like Robert M. Douglas Jr.and Joshua Johnson | | | | this age of modern African American art, it's |
| were taught the basics of painting and | | | | easy to seehow valuable these pieces are. |
| compositionon their own or through private | | | | When you bring a piece of AfricanAmerican art |
| tutoring, as deemed by their owners orby | | | | into your home, you not only celebrate the |
| abolitionists that wanted the slaves to be | | | | artists of thistime, but all of the |
| able to save up to buytheir freedom. | | | | generations that came before. You |
| | | | celebratethe history of a people that have |
| Once the Civil War ended and slavery was | | | | never given up on their talents, nomatter how |
| declared illegal, there was aresurgence in | | | | far others may have tried to push them down. |
| the time's modern African American art | | | | |