March 3, 1918 Grafton Tyler Brown, lithographer and painter of the American West, died. Brown was born February 22, 1841 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Before he was 20, he moved to San Francisco, California where he established his own firm to produce illustrated bank notes, labels, maps, and stock certificates.
Archive | Artist RSS feed for this section
February 29th in African American History – Willi Donnell Smith
February 29, 1948 Willi Donnell Smith, one of the most successful young fashion designers in fashion history, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Smith attended Philadelphia College of Art for fashion illustration and then moved to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design. He quit Parsons in 1967 to pursue a design career on […]
February 28th in African American History – James Amos Porter
February 28, 1970 James Amos Porter, artist and “father of African American art history,” died. Porter was born December 22, 1905 in Baltimore, Maryland. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree from Howard University in 1927, he accepted a position at the university as instructor of painting and drawing. In 1933, he received the Schomburg […]
February 14th in African American History – Monetta J. Sleet, Jr.
February 14, 1926 Monetta J. Sleet, Jr., photographer and the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for journalism, was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. Sleet served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Kentucky State University in 1947 and his Master of […]
February 13th in African American History – Edward Gay Robinson
February 13, 1919 Edward Gay Robinson, hall of fame football coach, was born in Jackson, Louisiana. Robinson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Leland College in 1941 and in 1954 earned his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa.
January 1st in African American History – Patrick Kelly
January 1, 1990 Patrick Kelly, fashion designer, died. Kelly was born September 24, 1954 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He initially studied at the Parsons School of Design, but in 1979 moved to Paris, France. In 1985, he created Patrick Kelly Paris and began making outfits for Benetton and upscale Paris boutiques. In 1987, Kelly signed a […]
December 27th in African American History – Vincent Dacosta Smith
December 27, 2003 Vincent Dacosta Smith, figurative painter, died. Smith was born December 12, 1929 in New York City. At the age of 15, he dropped out of high school and became a hobo working odd jobs and spending a year in the army. In 1953, he discovered his love of art and became a […]