African American Art Collections

African American Art Collections

Online information about African American Art from sources other than Resource Library

with an emphasis on representational art

(above: William H. Johnson, Three Friends, c. 1944-45, screenprint on paper, 15 7/8 x 11 5/8 inches, Smithsonian American Art Museum. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*)

The Chemistry of Color: The Sorgenti Collection of Contemporary African-American Art, an exhibit held August 21-November 1, 2009 at the Taft Museum of Art. Includes Portico article. Accessed April, 2015

Facsimile Cabinet of Women Origin Stories is a 2019 exhibit at the Colby College Museum of Art which says: "On view for the first time in the United States, Theaster Gates's Facsimile Cabinet of Women Origin Stories includes nearly 3,000 images from the Johnson Publishing Company archive." Also see announcement from Art & Education. Accessed 5/19

The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art is an exhibition hosted by the Wichita Art Museum from February 19 through May 13, 2012. The museum describes the exhibition as follows: "Dr. Harmon Kelley and his wife Harriet began collecting at as a way of connecting to an aspect of their African heritage. After visiting an exhibition of African American artists and not recognizing any of the names, the couple vowed to educate themselves and thereby ensure that their two young daughters would become aware of the achievements of African American artists. Nearly a quarter of a century later, their desire to learn more about their culture has turned into one of the largest, most comprehensive private collections of African American art in the United States.

The Kelleys were able to acquire art by many of the leading artists of the 19th century like Joshua Johnson, the Baltimore, Maryland-based painter, who is the earliest documented professional African American artist. Other landmark acquisitions followed, including a bust by Edmonia Lewis, the first female the first African American professional sculptor who worked in Rome in the late 19th century. The 69 works on paper that are part of the exhibition feature prominent artists from the Kelley Collection including Ron Adams, Benny Andrews, Elizabeth Catlett, John Biggers, Eldizer Cortor, Margaret Burroughs and many other influential African American artists. Accessed 9/23

The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper is an exhibit held July 11, 2013 to September 15, 2013 at the California African American Museum. Accessed May, 2014

The Howard University Gallery of Art website contains images of works in its collection. Accessed July, 2015.

Narratives of African American Art and Identity: The David C. Driskell Collection from the Art Gallery, University of Maryland. [Link found to be expired as of 2015 audit. TFAO is saving the citation for use by researchers.]

Papers of African American Artists from Archives of American Art. Accessed July, 2015.

Promises of Freedom: Selections from the Arthur Primas Collection is a 2012 exhibit at the California African American Museum which says: "Black artists have long struggled for inclusion in society's marketplace of art. Until recently, art history curriculums and literature did not give adequate recognition to African American artists. We applaud Arthur Primas for acknowledging their significant creativity, achievements and contribution to the history of American Art." Also see info from Landau Traveling Exhibitions, exhibit organizer. Accessed 2/17

Reflections : African American Life from the Myrna Colley - Lee Collection is an exhibit held October 23, 2016 - January 15, 2017.

Tradition Redefined: The Larry and Brenda Thompson Collection of African American Art, January 30, 2011 - March 28, 2011 from Georgia Museum of Art. Accessed 3/14

Return to African American Art

Return to Topics in American Representational Art

TFAO wishes to thank Sarah Wahlberg and Madeline Wells for providing material for the above list.

*Tag for expired US copyright of object image:

Links to sources of information outside of our web site are provided only as referrals for your further consideration. Please use due diligence in judging the quality of information contained in these and all other web sites. Information from linked sources may be inaccurate or out of date. TFAO neither recommends or endorses these referenced organizations. Although TFAO includes links to other web sites, it takes no responsibility for the content or information contained on those other sites, nor exerts any editorial or other control over them. For more information on evaluating web pages see TFAO's General Resources section in Online Resources for Collectors and Students of Art History.

Search Resource Library