List of African-American visual artists

This list of African-American visual artists is a list that includes dates of birth and death of historically recognized African-American fine artists known for the creation of artworks that are primarily visual in nature, including traditional media such as painting, sculpture, photography, and printmaking, as well as more recent genres, including installation art, performance art, body art, conceptual art, video art, and digital art. The entries are in alphabetical order by surname.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Robert Scott Duncanson, Landscape with Rainbow, c. 1859, Hudson River School, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC.

Artists

Scipio Moorhead, Portrait of poet Phillis Wheatley, 1773, in the frontispiece to her book Poems on Various Subjects

Edward Mitchell Bannister, Driving Home the Cows 1881

Harriet Powers, Bible quilt, mixed media, 1886

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Gateway, Tangier, 1912, oil on canvas, 18 7/16" × 15 5/16", St. Louis Art Museum

Charles Alston, Again The Springboard Of Civilization, 1943 (WWII African American soldier)

Larry D. Alexander,Greenville Courthouse, 1998

A–B

• Nina Chanel Abney (born 1982), painter
• Terry Adkins (1953–2014), artist[1]
• Mequitta Ahuja (born 1976), painter, installation artist
• Larry D. Alexander (born 1953), painter
• Laylah Ali (born 1968), painter
• Jules T. Allen (born 1947), photographer
• Tina Allen (1949–2008), sculptor
• Charles Alston (1907–1977), painter[2][1]
• Amalia Amaki (born 1959), artist
• Emma Amos (1938-2020), painter[2]
• Benny Andrews (1930–2006), painter[2][1]
• Edgar Arceneaux (born 1972), drawing artist
• Nellie Ashford (born c. 1943) , folk artist[3]
• Radcliffe Bailey (born 1968) collage, sculpture[4][5]
• Kyle Baker (born 1965), cartoonist
• Matt Baker (1921–1959), comic book artist
• James Presley Ball (1825–1904), photographer
• Alvin Baltrop (1948–2004), photographer
• Henry Bannarn (1910–1965), painter[1]
• Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828–1901), painter[2][1]
• Ernie Barnes (1938–2009), neo-Mannerist artist[2]
• Richmond Barthé (1901–1989), sculptor[2][1]
• Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), painter[2]
• C. M. Battey (1873–1927), photographer
• Romare Bearden (1911–1988), painter[2][1]
• Arthello Beck (1941–2004), painter
• Arthur P. Bedou (1882–1966), photographer
• Darrin Bell (born 1975), cartoonist
• Mary A. Bell (1873–1941)
• Dawoud Bey (born 1953), photographer[2]
• Sharif Bey (born 1974), Ceramist
• John T. Biggers (1924–2001), muralist[2][1]
• Sanford Biggers (born 1970), interdisciplinary
• Gene Bilbrew (1923–1974), cartoonist and fetish artist
• Camille Billops (1933-2019), filmmaker, sculptor, painter, printmaker
• McArthur Binion (born 1946), painter
• Thomas Blackshear (born 1955)
• Betty Blayton (1937–2016), painter, printmaker[1]
• Chakaia Booker (born 1953), sculptor[2]
• Edythe Boone (born 1938), muralist
• Charles Boyce (born 1949), cartoonist
• Tina Williams Brewer, fiber artist[6]
• Michael Bramwell (born 1953), conceptual artist
• Mark Bradford (born 1961)
• Elenora "Rukiya" Brown, doll creator
• Elmer Brown (1909–1971)
• Frank J. Brown (born 1956), sculptor
• Frederick J. Brown (1945–2012), painter[2]
• Larry Poncho Brown (born 1962)
• Manuelita Brown, sculptor
• Robert Brown (c. 1936–2007), cartoonist
• Beverly Buchanan (born 1940), painter, sculptor[1]
• Selma Burke (1900–1995), sculptor[1]
• Calvin Burnett (1921–2007), book illustrator[1]
• Pauline Powell Burns (1872–1912), painter
• John Bush (?–1754), powder horn carver
• Robert Butler (1943–2014), painter

C–D

• Frank Calloway (born 1915)
• E. Simms Campbell (1906–1971), cartoonist[1]
• Allen 'Big Al' Carter (1947–2008)
• Fred Carter (born 1938), cartoonist
• Bernie Casey (born 1939), painter[1]
• Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012), sculptor and printmaker[2][1]
• Nick Cave (born 1959), performance artist
• Michael Ray Charles (born 1967), painter[2]
• Barbara Chase-Riboud (born 1936), sculptor[1]
• Jamour Chames (born 1989), painter
• Don Hogan Charles (1938–2017), photographer
• Caitlin Cherry (b. 1987), painter and sculptor
• Claude Clark (1915–2001), painter and printmaker[2]
• Edward Clark (born 1926), painter
• Sonya Clark (born 1967), textile and multimedia artist
• Willie Cole (born 1955), painter[2]
• Robert Colescott (1925–2009), painter[2]
• Kennard Copeland (born 1966), ceramic sculptures [2]
• Eldzier Cortor (1916–2015), artist and printmaker[1]
• Ernest Crichlow (1914–2005), social realist artist[1]
• Allan Crite (1910–2007), painter[2] [1]
• Njideka Akunyili Crosby (born 1983), painter
• Emilio Cruz (1938–2004), painter[2]
• Frank E. Cummings III (born 1938), woodworker
• Michael Cummings (born 1945), textile artist
• Ulysses Davis (1913–1990), sculptor[2]
• Bing Davis (born 1937), potter and graphic artist[1]
• Charles C. Dawson (1889–1981) illustrator, painter, and printmaker
• Roy DeCarava (1919–2009), photographer[2]
• Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), painter[7]
• Joseph Delaney (1904–1991)[2]
• Louis Delsarte (born 1944), artist[1]
• J Rodney Dennis[8][9] painter
• Joseph Clinton Devillis (1878–1912), painter
• Thornton Dial (1928–2016)[2]
• Terry Dixon (born 1969), painter and multimedia artist
• Jeff Donaldson (born 1932), painter and critic
• Aaron Douglas (1899–1979), painter[2][1]
• Emory Douglas (born 1943), Black Panther artist
• John E. Dowell Jr. (born 1941), printmaker, etcher, lithographer, and painter
• David Driskell (1931–2020), artist and scholar
• Robert Scott Duncanson (1821–1872), Hudson River School[2][1]
• Edward Dwight (born 1933) sculptor, painter, author

E–H

• William Edmondson (1874–1951), folk art sculptor[2][1]
• Mel Edwards (born 1937), sculptor[2][1]
• Janiva Ellis (born 1987), painter
• Walter Ellison (1899–1977), painter[2]
• Minnie Evans (1892–1987), folk artist[2] [1]
• Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877–1968), artist[2][1]
• Ellen Gallagher (born 1965)[2]
• Melvino Garretti (born 1946)[10]
• Theaster Gates (born 1973), sculptor, ceramicist, and performance artist [
• Reginald K (Kevin) Gee (born 1964), painter
• Herbert Gentry (1919–2003), painter
• Wilda Gerideau-Squires (born 1946), photographer
• Robert A. Gilbert (c. 1870–1942), nature photographer[11]
• Leah Gilliam (born 1967), media artist and filmmaker
• Sam Gilliam (born 1933), painter[2] [1]
• Russell T. Gordon (born 1936), printmaker[2]
• Billy Graham (1935–1999), comic book artist
• Lonnie Graham, photographer and installation artist
• Deborah Grant (born 1968), painter
• Todd Gray (born 1954), photographer, installation and performance artist
• Leamon Green (born 1959)
• Renee Green (born 1959), installation artist[2]
• Mario Gully, comic book artist
• Tyree Guyton (born 1955)[2]
• Kyle Hackett (born 1990) painter [12]
• Ed Hamilton (born 1947), sculptor
• Patrick Earl Hammie (born 1981), painter
• David Hammons (born 1943), artist[2]
• Trenton Doyle Hancock (born 1974)[2]
• Edwin Harleston (1882–1931), painter
• Elise Forrest Harleston (1891–1970), photographer
• Kira Lynn Harris (born 1963), multidisciplinary[13]
• John Wesley Hardrick (1891–1948), painter[2] [1]
• Jerry Harris (born 1945), sculptor
• Lawrence Harris, painter
• Ilana Harris-Babou, sculptor and installation artist[14]
• Marren Hassenger (born 1947), sculptor, installation, performance[15]
• Palmer Hayden (1893–1973), painter[2][1]
• Barkley Hendricks (1945–2017), painter
• Nestor Hernández (1961–2006), photographer
• George Herriman (1880–1944), cartoonist[2]
• LaToya M. Hobbs (born 1988) printmaker, painter, mixed media artist [16]
• Alvin Hollingsworth (1928–2000), illustrator, painter
• William Howard (active 19th century), American woodworker and craftsman
• Bryce Hudson (born 1979), painter, sculptor[2]
• Julien Hudson (1811–1844), painter, sculptor[2]
• David Huffman (born 1963), painter[17]
• Richard Hunt (born 1935), sculptor[2][1]
• Clementine Hunter (1886/7–1988), folk artist[2][1]

J–O

• Wadsworth Jarrell (born 1929), painter, sculptor
• Tomashi Jackson (born 1980), multimedia artist, painter, videographer, textile-maker and sculptor[18]
• Steffani Jemison (born 1981), performance artist, video artist
• Wilmer Angier Jennings (born 1910), print maker, painter, jeweler
• Annette P. Jimerson (born 1966), painter
• Joshua Johnson (c.1763–c.1824), portrait painter and folk artist[2][1]
• Malvin Gray Johnson (1896–1934), painter[1]
• Rashid Johnson (born 1977), conceptual artist
• Sargent Johnson (1888–1967), sculptor[2] [1]
• William H. Johnson (1902–1970)[2][1]
• Calvin B. Jones (1934–2010), painter, muralist
• Jennie C. Jones (born 1968), multidisciplinary
• Lois Mailou Jones (1905–1998), painter[2][1]
• Lawrence A. Jones (1910–1996), artist, teacher
• Seitu Jones (born 1951), multidisciplinary, sculptor
• Eddie Jack Jordan (1925–1999), artist, teacher
• Ronald Joseph (1910–1992), artist, teacher, and printmaker
• Titus Kaphar (born 1976), painter[19]
• Richard Gordon Kendall (1933–2008), Texas-based outsider artist
• Autumn Knight (born 1980), interdisciplinary artist working with performance, installation, and text[20]
• Gwendolyn Knight (1914–2005), artist[1]
• Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000), painter[2][1]
• Deana Lawson (born 1979), photographer[21]
• Carolyn Lazard (born 1987), conceptual artist
• Hughie Lee-Smith (1915–1999), artist[2][1]
• Simone Leigh (born 1967), sculpture, ceramics
• Edmonia Lewis (c. 1843–1879), artist[2][1]
• Nate Lewis (born 1985), visual artist
• Norman Lewis (1909–1979), painter[2][1]
• Joe Louis Light (1934–2005), painter and sculptor
• Glenn Ligon (born 1960), painter[2]
• Llanakila, artist, painter, digital illustrator, and digital artist
• Edward L. Loper, Sr. (1916–2011), painter
• Whitfield Lovell (born 1960), artist
• Alvin D. Loving (1935–2005), artist
• Johnnie Mae Maberry, (born 1948), artist/art educator/ activist[22][23][24]
• Eric N. Mack (born 1987), painter, multi-media installation artist, and sculptor[25]
• Gwendolyn Ann Magee (1943–2011), artist, quilter[26]
• Clarence Major (born 1936), painter
• Ajuan Mance, visual artist, professor[27]
• Kerry James Marshall (born 1955), painter[2]
• Eugene J. Martin (1938–2005), painter
• Richard Mayhew (born 1934), Afro-Native American, landscape painter[28]
• Valerie Maynard (born 1937), sculptor, printmaker, painter
• Ealy Mays (born 1959), painter
• William McBride (artist) (born 1912), artist, designer and collector
• Howard McCalebb (born 1947), artist
• Corky McCoy, illustrator
• Charles McGee, (born 1924) painter
• Charles McGill (born 1964), artist, educator
• Julie Mehretu (born 1970), painter, printmaker
• Troy Michie (born 1985), collage artist, painter, interdisciplinary installation artist, and sculptor
• Nicole Miller (born 1982), video artist
• Joe Minter (born 1943) sculptor, creator of African Village in America[29]
• Dean Mitchell (born 1957), painter
• Scipio Moorhead (active 1770s), painter[1]
• Archibald Motley (1891–1981), painter[2][1]
• Wangechi Mutu (born 1972) painter, sculptor
• Gus Nall (1919–1995), painter
• Harold Newton (1934–1994), artist
• Lorraine O'Grady (born 1934), conceptual artist
• Turtel Onli (born 1952), cartoonist
• Jackie Ormes (1911–1985), cartoonist
• John Outterbridge (born 1933), assemblage artist[2][1]
• Joe Overstreet (born 1933), artist[1]

P–S

• Jennifer Packer (born 1985), painter
• Gordon Parks (1912–2006), photographer, director[2][1]
• Cecelia Pedescleaux (born 1945), quilter
• Janet Taylor Pickett (born 1948), mixed media artist
• Delilah Pierce (1904–1992), artist
• Earle M. Pilgrim (1923–1976), artist
• Howardena Pindell (born 1943), painter[2]
• Jerry Pinkney (born 1939), illustrator[2]
• Adrian Piper (born 1948), conceptual artist[2]
• Rose Piper (1917–2005), painter and textile designer[30]
• Horace Pippin (1888–1946), painter[2][1]
• Rae Pleasant (born 1985), illustrator[31][32]
• P. H. Polk (1898–1984), photographer
• Carl Robert Pope (born 1961), photographer[2]
• William Pope.L (born 1955) conceptual artist
• Charles Ethan Porter (1847/49-1923) painter
• Harriet Powers (1837–1910), folk artist[2]
• Walter Price (artist) (born 1989), painter
• Martin Puryear (born 1941), sculptor[2][1]
• Mavis Pusey (1928–2019), abstract painter
• Patrick H. Reason (1816–1898)
• Earle Wilton Richardson (1912–1935), artist[1]
• Faith Ringgold (born 1930), painter[2][1]
• Haywood Rivers (1922–2001), painter
• Amber Robles-Gordon, installation artist
• Arthur Rose Sr. (1921–1995), multidisciplinary
• Bayeté Ross Smith (born 1976), photographer
• Alison Saar (born 1956), artist[2][1]
• Betye Saar (born 1926), artist[2][1]
• Charles L. Sallée Jr. (1923–2006), painter[2][33]
• Reginald Sanders (1921–2001), visual artist
• Raymond Saunders (born 1934), painter[1]
• Augusta Savage (1892–1962), sculptor[2][1]
• Dread Scott (born 1965), performance, photography, installation, screen-printing and video
• John T. Scott (1940–2007), artist
• Joyce J. Scott (born 1948), sculptor[2]
• Lorenzo Scott (born 1934), painter
• William Edouard Scott (1884–1964), painter[2][1]
• Charles Sebree (1914–1985), painter[2][1]
• Thomas Sills (1914–2000), painter
• Gary Simmons (born 1964), artist
• Lorna Simpson (born 1960), artist[2]
• Merton Simpson (1928–2013), painter
• William Simpson (1818–1872), portrait painter[1]
• Ferrari Sheppard (born 1983), painter
• Amy Sherald (born 1973), painter
• Cauleen Smith (born 1967), filmmaker
• Leslie Smith III (born 1985), painter
• Vincent D. Smith (1929–2003), painter and printmaker[34][35]
• William E. Smith (1913–1997), painter and printmaker
• Gilda Snowden (1954–2014)[2]
• Mitchell Squire (born 1958), American installation artist, sculptor and performance artist
• Raymond Steth (1916–1997)[2]
• Renee Stout (born 1958), artist[2]
• Thelma Johnson Streat (1911–1959) American painter, dancer, educator
• Martine Syms (born 1988), artist

T–Z

• Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937), artist[2][1]
• Margaret Taylor-Burroughs (1915–2010)[2][1]
• Alma Thomas (1891–1978), painter[2] [1]
• Hank Willis Thomas (born 1976), photographer
• Mickalene Thomas (born 1971), painter and installation artist
• Bob Thompson (1937–1966), painter[2][1]
• Mildred Thompson (1935–2003), abstract painter, printmaker and sculptor
• Dox Thrash (1892–1962), printmaker, sculptor[2] [1]
• Bill Traylor (1856–1949)[2][1]
• Henry Taylor (born 1958), painter
• Yvonne Edwards Tucker (born 1941), potter[36]
• Morrie Turner (1923–2014), cartoonist
• James Van Der Zee (1886–1983), photographer[2] [1]
• Kara Walker (born 1969), artist[2] [1]
• William Walker (1927–2011), Chicago muralist
• Eugene Warburg, (1825–1859), sculptor
• Laura Wheeler Waring (1887–1948), painter[2][1]
• E. M. Washington (born 1962), printmaker and counterfeiter
• James W. Washington, Jr. (1908–2000), painter and sculptor[1]
• Lewis Watts
• Carrie Mae Weems (born 1953), photographer[2]
• Pheoris West (born 1950)
• Charles Wilbert White (1918–1979), muralist[2][1]
• Jack Whitten (1939–2018), painter
• Kehinde Wiley (born 1977), painter
• Gerald Williams (artist) (born 1941), painter
• William T. Williams (born 1942), painter[1]
• Deborah Willis (born 1948), photographer
• Ellis Wilson (1899–1977), painter[2][1]
• Fred Wilson (born 1954), conceptual artist
• John Woodrow Wilson (1922–2015), sculptor[2][1]
• Beulah Woodard (1895–1955), sculptor
• Hale Woodruff (1900–1980), painter[2][1]
• Richard Wyatt, Jr. (born 1955), painter, muralist
• Richard Yarde (1939–2011), watercolorist
• Joseph Yoakum (1890–1972), self-taught landscape artist
• Purvis Young (1943–2010), artist

Artist groups

• The Highwaymen
• AfriCOBRA
• Where We At
• National Conference of Artists
• Spiral (arts alliance)

See also

• Harlem Renaissance
• African-American art
• The Quilts of Gees Bend
• Black Arts Movement
• List of American artists before 1900
• List of American artists 1900 and after

References

1. See the entry in Macklin, A. D., A Biographical History of African-American Artists. The Edwin Mellen Press; 2001. ISBN 0-7734-7676-8
2. Listed in the Chronological listing of African-American artists at ArtCyclopedia
3. "Nellie Ashford among 5 artists selected for art installations at Charlotte Douglas Airport". CLTure. April 10, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
4. Sheets, Hilarie M. (June 30, 2011). "In the Picture: Atlanta, Africa and the Past". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
5. KOSLOW MILLER, FRANCINE (Summer 2012). "Radcliffe Bailey". Artforum. Vol. 50 no. 10. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
6. Shaw, Kurt (September 7, 2014). "Homewood Artist's 'Fragments' Looks at Cultures in Our World". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Retrieved March 30, 2016 – via EBSCO.
7. David Leeming, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, Oxford University Press; 1998. ISBN 0-19-509784-X
8. "An Artist's Story Behind a Big-Time Commission – The Art League Blog". The Art League Blog. May 19, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
9. J Dennis (May 15, 2016), J. Rodney Dennis' portrait of Carla Hall and Mother featured on "The Chew", retrieved July 17, 2017
10. Troupe, Margaret Porter (April 11, 2014). "Spring Art Show: Melvino Garretti". Harlem Arts Salon. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
11. Mitchell, John Hanson (August 12, 2014). Looking for Mr. Gilbert: The Unlikely Life of the First African American Landscape Photographer. Open Road Distribution. pp. 100–. ISBN 9781497672826. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
12. http://www.kylehackettstudio.com/gallery.html
13. "The Artist's Voice: Kira Lynn Harris In Conversation with Lauren Haynes". The Studio Museum in Harlem. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
14. Steinhauer, Jillian (February 25, 2019). "The Whitney Biennial: 75 Artists Are In, and One Dissenter Steps Out". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
15. "Maren Hassinger". YBCA. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
16. http://www.latoyamhobbs.com/
17. Murray, Derek Conrad (2012). "David Huffman". Art in America. Vol. April 6. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
18. "Rhythm and Blues: Tomashi Jackson by Cora Fisher - BOMB Magazine". bombmagazine.org. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
19. "Titus Kaphar's Time Magazine Commission". International Review of African American Art. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
20. "Workshop | fluid with Artist Autumn Knight". Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
21. "Deana Lawson". Lewis Center for the Arts. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
22. Maberry, Johnnie Mae (March 26, 2017). "In the Heart of Dixie, Art Is Social Commentary". Vice.
23. Helsel, Amber (February 25, 2015). "Johnnie Mae Maberry". Jackson Free Press.
24. "Tougaloo College Students Blend Art, History to Revitalize a Community". Tougaloo. December 13, 2018.
25. Sargent, Antwaun (April 9, 2018). "Meet the Mixed-Media Painter Inspired by Lil' Kim". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
26. Moye, Dorothy, "Lift Every Voice and Sing: The Quilts of Gwendolyn Ann Magee" Archived November 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Southern Spaces, September 11, 2014.
27. Robertson, Michelle; SFGATE (November 1, 2017). "An Oakland artist drew 1,001 portraits of black men". SFGate. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
28. "Richard Mayhew". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
29. Tortorello, Michael (April 24, 2013). "Joe Minter's African Village in America". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
30. "African American Fine Art Auction". Tyler Fine Art. November 11, 2014. p. 128. Retrieved January 25, 2017 – via issuu.
31. "Artist Rae Pleasant". Plano Magazine. February 1, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
32. "PLEASANT FOLK".
33. "Artist Charles L. Sallee Jr. remembered; his artwork is on display in Beachwood". cleveland.com. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
34. Sirmans, M. Franklin (1997). Smith, Vincent (Dacosta). Detroit: St. James Guide to Black Artists. ISBN 1558622209.
35. Smothers, Ronald (January 3, 2004). "Vincent Smith, 74, Painter Who Portrayed Black Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
36. Copelon, Dianne (February 11, 1996). "Artisans Shape Visions of Black History, Culture". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 14, 2020.