February is African-American History Month: Art History and Prominent Black Artists

Typically, African American or Black History Month is about "regular" history and how Black Americans have experienced the US.  I take it a little further in my piece on transportation history ("African American History Month and Transportation: February 4th | Transit Equity Day," 2025), and have written about creating "history trails" in systematic ways ("Four points about presentation of African American History in the context of Black History Month | reprint with an addition about the US Civil Rights Trail (versus the Dixieland Trail)," 2024).

I'm the last person to be able to write about art history generally, or in terms of African-Americans specifically, but that seems like a great topic area to celebrate during the month as well.  I don't recall a lot of art presentation in the context of Black History Month.  

Although yes, we see exhibitions all the time of Jacob Lawrence, Sam Gilliam, and contemporary artists Kehinde Wiley and Kara Walker.

For example, the Boston Globe has an article, "Art Review: Has John Wilson’s time arrived? He’s been here all along," on a retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts on the sculptor John Wilson.  Who I hadn't heard of, but hell, I can pretty much only identify Rodin and Wiley as sculptors generally, given my lack of knowledge

“Eternal Presence” (1987), sculpture by SMFA alumnus John Wilson at the Museum of the National Center of Afro American Artists in Roxbury. Photo: Alonso Nichols

“Father and Child Reading” by John Wilson. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Also see, "Sculpting a Legacy: The Art and Impact of John Wilson," Tufts Now.