Samella Lewis, PhD accomplished African American visual artist, died at the age of 99. Lewis is best known for her work as a painter and printmaker. She is known as the "Godmother of African American Art." Born in New Orleans, and earned a B.A at Hampton University; an MA and PhD at Ohio State University. At Ohio State, she become the first African American to earn a doctorate in Fine Art and Art History. In addition to producing a corpus of highly respected art, she also produced five films and seven books. This informational blog contains textual and audiovisual information on her life and legacy. Enjoy.
NOTE: This blog (with the exception of the photographs and introductory material) was compiled by and reprinted with permission from Abdul Akailmat, PhD.
Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samella_Lewis
Video
Bio https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/samella-lewis-39
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Memory of her son https://www.blackartinamerica.com/index.php/2018/05/29/baia-talks-claude-lewis-on-being-raised-by-iconic-artist-dr-samella-lewis/
Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqcnRvVFozM
Obituary https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/05/31/artist-samella-lewis-dead/ https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/samella-lewis-1923-2022-godmother-of-african-american-art/
Archive of papers https://findingaids.library.emory.edu/documents/lewis1132/
Books Lewis, Samella S. African American art and artists (Berkeley : University of California Press, 1990) Samella S. Lewis; Ruth G. Waddy. Black Artists on Art (Los Angeles, Contemporary Crafts Publishers, 1969)
University exhibits https://hammer.ucla.edu/now-dig-this/artists/samella-lewis https://rcwg.scrippscollege.edu/samella-lewis-contemporary-art-collection/