Alain Locke

Alain LeRoy Locke was born on September 13, 1885, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Locke graduated from Harvard University and was the first African American to win a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. He subsequently received a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard and taught at Howard University. Locke publicized the Harlem Renaissance to a wide audience. He died in New York City on June 9, 1954. He was laid to rest in Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC. Locke promoted African-American artists and writers, encouraging them to look to Africa for artistic inspiration. Author Zora Neale Hurston received significant support from Locke. He published work on African-American art, theater, poetry and music. Much of Locke’s writing focused on African and African-American identity.

 

 

Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence was an American painter, and the most widely acclaimed African-American artist of the 20th century. He is best known for his Migration Series.Raised in Harlem, New York, Jacob Lawrence became the most renowned African-American artist of his time. Known for producing narrative collections like the Migration Series and War Series, he illustrated the African-American experience using vivid colors set against black and brown figures. He also served as a professor of art at the University of Washington for 15 years.