By Sophia Sullivan, Editorials Editor
Although Black History Month has passed, it is important to continue to celebrate the African American culture’s impact on the arts and humanities. Throughout American history, African Americans have had an essential influence on our culture. What they create reflects a rich culture that is often overlooked and should be highlighted regardless of the month.
When you think of art, you are probably picturing paintings or sculptures or basket weaving. However, one of the most prominent forms of art by African Americans is the written word.
Amanda Gorman, a 24-year-old poet and activist, is an excellent example of this. As the first National Youth Poet Laureate, she creates poetry that is moving, provocative, and focused on change.
“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it,” says Gorman in her inaugural poem, The Hill We Climb.
Gorman even read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, where she delivered a stunning performance.
Gorman offered raw yet encouraging words of hope and wisdom to the country that day and continues to do so in her poetry collections.
While not as recent as Gorman, another African American artist that should be on everyone’s radar is Kara Walker.
Walker is a painter, but not in the sense you might expect. She is best known for her expansive silhouette murals.
Art and history go hand in hand, and Walker’s work surely reflects this. Her art focuses on the lingering effects of slavery and oppression.
They may appear simple at first glance, but her pieces are overflowing with emotion.
As Walker says, “I have no interest in making a work that doesn’t elicit a feeling.”
And isn’t that what art is all about? It should make you feel something, or question the world, or open your mind to new ideas.
Both ladies do just that. Through their culture, backgrounds, and activism, they are lights in not only the African American community but also that of art.
As college students, let’s do our part to learn, grow, and expand by experiencing art from other cultures. Discovering and appreciating art from the African American community is a great place to start.
