African American Artists and the New Deal Art Programs: Opportunity, Access, and Community

This book explores the involvement of African American artists in the New Deal art programs of the 1930s, focusing on the Federal Art Project (FAP) of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It documents African American artists participation in community art centers in Harlem, St. Louis, and throughout the South, examining the Harlem Artists Guild's internal workings and its alliances with other groups. It also explores African American artists representation in exhibitions sponsored by WPA administrators and the critical reception of their work. The book concludes with an essay by Jacqueline Francis on Black artists in the early 1940s.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2023
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

This captivating book delves into the profound involvement of African American artists in the New Deal art programs of the 1930s. Rather than focusing solely on individual artworks, author Mary Ann Calo takes a broader approach, drawing upon the unique experiences of the Black community to shed light on the revolutionary vision of these federal art projects. By examining the interplay between access to opportunity and the reality of racial segregation, Calo offers a fresh perspective on the significance of these federal art initiatives.

The book primarily focuses on the Federal Art Project (FAP) of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), providing a detailed account of African American artists' participation in community art centers across Harlem, St. Louis, and the South. Calo delves into the inner workings of the Harlem Artists Guild, exploring its activities during the 1930s and its alliances with other groups such as the Artists Union and the National Negro Congress. She also examines the representation of African American artists in exhibitions sponsored by WPA administrators and the critical reception of their work. Through this comprehensive analysis, Calo unravels the evolving meanings of terms like "race," "culture," and "community" in the interwar era.

The book concludes with an insightful essay by Jacqueline Francis, which examines the landscape of Black artists in the early 1940s, following the conclusion of the FAP program. This study not only presents essential new archival information but also offers valuable insights into the experiences of Black New Deal artists. By expanding the factual record and placing the cumulative evidence within the context of critical race studies, this book will be of great interest to art historians and scholars specializing in early twentieth-century race relations.

Weight: 386g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271094939