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Selma Burke (December 31, 1900 – August 29, 1995) For day 15 of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Selma Burke, an American artist, sculptor and educator, who was a part of the Harlem Renaissance movement. She is self-described as “a people’s sculptor” and created many public pieces of art that focused on prominent African American figures such as, Duke Ellington, Mary McLeod Bethune and Booker T. Washington (pictured). One of the works she is best known for, is her portrait in bronze of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which she competed in a national competition, for an opportunity to do the sculpture....

Morris (Morrie) Turner (December 1923 – January 2014) For day 11 of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Morrie Turner, an American artist, cartoonist and creator of the comic strip “Wee Pals”, the first American syndicated comic strip with an integrated cast of characters. Morrie Turner was raised in Oakland, California and attended school at Cole Elementary,  McClymonds High School and Berkeley High School. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the military during World War 2, and served as a mechanic with the Tuskegee Airmen. During his time in the military, he also did illustrations that ended up being picked up...

Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21, 1859 – May 25, 1937) For day six of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Henry Ossawa Tanner, an American artist, painter and the first African-American painter to achieve international recognition and acclaim. Many artists and schools during his time, refused to take on African-American’s as apprentices but in 1879, Tanner enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts becoming the only African-American student. Tanner’s artwork style is often describe as realism because he would focus on creating accurate interpretations of his subjects. Many of works where inspired by Christian themes but some of...