“baltimore art” by Pxhere.com is licensed under CC-BY 2.0
Contributed by Abbie Kelley
Stop.
Look at the books that are on your bookshelf, the books your friends have in their home, and books in the public library.
How many books written by Black authors are there?
How many books written by white individuals do you see?
Lack of representation is one example of numerous ways inherent racism is hidden in plain sight all around us. Awareness and education of and action against such deeply rooted racism is necessary to put an end to both the visible and invisible oppression of minoritized individuals. Towards this goal, Black History Month has been integrated into our society, intending to celebrate the contributions of Black culture and to expand knowledge of influential Black individuals that have too often been discredited and left out of history books.
Many are aware of Black History Month and its importance, but fewer may know that each year, Black History Month also has a unique designated theme. This theme is not designed to limit the exploration of Black history, but rather to bring the public’s attention to important developments in Black culture. The theme for February 2024 is African Americans and the Arts.
To celebrate this special theme, here are several notable Black artists and their important contributions to the arts and society.
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Ann Lowe
“Ann Lowe Wedding Dress” by Eileen Costa is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0
Ann Lowe was an incredible seamstress that played a significant role in paving the way for Black people in the fashion industry. Much of the timeline of her life is unclear, but she is known to be born in 1898 and was raised by her mother and grandmother who both were skilled dressmakers. Through this exposure, Lowe found her passion and was making her own dress patterns by the age of ten.
Lowe got her big break in 1916 when she happened upon an influential socialite in a department store. There, he observed that her outfit was fashionable and high quality. She then moved to Tampa to be a live-in dressmaker. Her employer encouraged her to apply to the S.T. Taylor School of Design in New York City. Lowe was accepted and matriculated into the program in 1917. Unfortunately, she was shunned during this time due to her race. Her classmates refused to be in the same place as an African American, therefore, she was segregated in another classroom, even though her designs were superior in comparison to her classmates and her creations were even used as models for the other students.
During her life, Ann created and operated numerous boutiques in New York. However, during the Great Depression, she had to go back to working for other companies. In 1946, Olivia de Havilland wore a gown designed by Ann Lowe when accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress. The dress was a huge success and received high praise, though these accolades were accredited not to Ann, but to the fashion house she was working for at the time. This was one of many times in her life that Ann did not get the credit or acknowledgment she deserved. The works that Ann are best known for are the bridal gown and bridesmaid dresses she made in 1953 for Jacqueline Bouvier, the wife of the then Senator John F. Kennedy.
Larry Levan
“larry levan in a journey into paradise” by Luminor.ai
Larry Levan is a historical African American DJ from Brooklyn, New York. He is best known for his long-term work at the infamous Paradise Garage in New York City. In 1977, Levan was offered residency at the Paradise Garage where he played a pivotal role in the creation of the Garage House musical scene. This Garage Music has developed into what is now known as House Music.
Levan was known for playing whatever he wanted from a vast array of various music genres, a testament to his incredible talent as a DJ. He played of his own accord, known to play the same song repeatedly. The patrons of the Garage are said to have attended each weekend concert religiously. Many patrons had a special respect for Levan, some even considering him like a God. Eventually, Paradise Garage was forced to shut down on September 26th, 1987, due to the combined impact of the AIDS epidemic and the demands of people living around the Garage that did not want a Black club in their neighborhood. Levan only lived a few years longer, dying in 1992 of heart failure at just 38 years of age. Paradise Garage is now immortalized as one of the most iconic clubs of New York City. Levan is also remembered as one of the greatest DJs of all time.
Dindga McCannon
“Dindga-McCannon-2” by Mary Osunlane is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0
Dindga McCannon was born and raised in Harlem in 1947. Dindga is known for her impact on the Black Arts Movement.“When she was 17, Dindga got her first job as an art teacher in Harlem where she also joined a group of artists. This group broke into smaller groups, one of which became the Weusi Artist Collective,which was inspired by the Black Arts Movement. Through this collective, McCannon learned skills of painting and Black-centered visual politics. Dindga continued to pursue art by attending night classes at City College. There, she struggled with tension surrounding her depictions of Blackness in her subjects. Black-focused training in the arts was not an option at that time.
Additionally, while a member of the Weusi Collective, the female members expressed clear concern that the topics of racialized misogyny were being sidelined. In response to this, in 1971, Dindga helped to assemble the “Where We At” Black Women Artists, Inc. (WWA) that highlighted unique experiences of racial and gender exclusion in the art world.
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These are only some of the notable Black cultural influencers of history. Spark the Change encourages you to learn more and celebrate Black history this month and beyond.
Sources Used:
BAKER, ARTHUR. “Larry Levan and Paradise Garage: The inception of Garage Music in NYC.” The Music Origins Project, https://musicorigins.org/item/the-paradise-garage-and-larry-levans-legacy/. Accessed 5 February 2024.
Nichols, Elaine, et al. “Ann Lowe | National Museum of African American History and Culture.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/ann-lowe. Accessed 4 February 2024.
