Bisa Butler Pays Homage to African American Soldiers

Watch the newest installment of American Art Moments examining Bisa Butler’s remarkable portrait quilt.

Explore the History and Artistry Behind Bisa Butler's The Harlem Hellfighters

Discover the bold and powerful history stitched into Bisa Butler’s vibrant, life-sized portrait quilts. In the latest installment of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s American Art Moments video series, get to know the historic figures represented in Butler’s Don’t Tread on Me, God Damn, Let’s Go! — The Harlem Hellfighters. Learn about the troop who served in the 369th Infantry Regiment during World War I and view archival footage of the soldiers in action.

Nora Atkinson, the Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge for SAAM’s Renwick Gallery, takes viewers on a closer look into the artistry, vivid colors, and intricate detail Butler uses to pay homage to the lives and histories of African American soldiers in her quilt. The Harlem Hellfighters is currently on view at SAAM's Renwick Gallery as part of the exhibition This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World.

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This video is part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's ongoing series American Art Moments. Join a SAAM expert and go beyond the artwork label to discover the untold stories and rich connections represented in some of the museum's most iconic artworks.

Vivid portrait quilt showing eight African American soldiers on a green background.

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Image Credit: Bisa Butler, Don't Tread on Me, God Damn, Let's Go! - The Harlem Hellfighters, 2021, cottons, silk, wool, and velvet, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David Bonderman, 2022.25, © 2022, Bisa Butler

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