African American Art and Design at the Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian's African American Art and Design web page is an excellent source comprising links, essays, research, and online exhibits which highlight the cultural institution's multitude of collections relating to African American art.
For those interested in the visual arts, the site includes such resources as "Cleopatra Lost and Found" an online exhibit chronicling the life and work of the nineteenth century African American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis. The Archives of American Art site on "The Papers of African American Artists" includes the papers of more than 50 African American painters, sculptors, and printmakers. "A Durable Memento: Portraits by Augustus Washington, African American Daguerreotypist" examines one of the few known African American practitioners of this early photographic medium.
The contributions of African-American performing artists are also well represented in the Smithsonian's collection. "Le Tumulte Noir: Paul Colin's Jazz Age Portfolio" is an exhibit of lithographs which capture the lively jazz music and dance craze in Paris in the 1920s. The "Mississippi River of Song" examines the richness and vitality of American music along the Mississippi at the close of the twentieth century through performances and intimate discussions with musicians.
For more African American heritage resources at the Smithsonian Institution also check out the "African American Heritage" brochure to help you plan your next trip.
--Kristina Keogh, Reference Librarian for the Arts - Cabell Library
