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