Celebrate Black Artists This Weekend

Spend your weekend learning more about the work and experiences of Black artists in the U.S. through a collection of stories, comics, artworks, and more.

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Two masks on display. On the left, a Black woman wearing a "BLM" mask is holding a sign that says "Stop Killing Us". Signs saying 'stop police brutality' and "I can't breath'" are in front of her. On the right is a brown mask with writing and a face depicted.

Sharing Experiences Through Art

As we wrap up Black History Month, the Smithsonian American Art Museum invites you to spend time this weekend learning about Black artists, past and present, who have left their mark on American art. Go in-depth into the lives of artists with stories and comics. Browse highlights from SAAM's collection of works by African American artists and shop for art books to enjoy at home. With something for everyone, we encourage you to explore the presence and impact of African American artists on our world.

Side-by-side artworks. On the left is an abstract oil painting centering on a mask-like face. On the right is a sculpture made of black Mexican marble with abstracted, mask-like features.

There's More to Uncover

Browse SAAM Stories for new insights into a range of artists such as David Drake, poet and potter who was enslaved most of his life; David Harper Clemons, a contemporary metalsmith who gives new meanings to everyday objects; and Loïs Mailou Jones and Ellizabeth Catlett, who shared a brief but powerful intellectual connection at Howard University. Take a deep dive into the story archives and discover fascinating topics and themes in American art.

Find New Stories

Illustration of an African American woman who is wearing glasses and blends into the background of colorful, geometric shapes and patterns.

Discover Drawn to Art

Take a fresh look at artists Sonya Clark, Edmonia Lewis, Nellie Mae Rowe, Augusta Savage, Alma Thomas, and Mickalene Thomas. Inspired by graphic novels, these short takes on artists’ lives give young people the opportunity to identify with the struggles and triumphs of visionaries and rule breakers, to see themselves reflected, and to draw strength from that visibility.

Read the Comics

A close up of a vibrant portrait quilt focusing on 3 young African American WWI soldiers.

Watch Videos, Explore Highlights from the Collection, and More

SAAM is home to one of the most significant collections of works by African American artists in the world and spans three centuries of creative expression in various media, including painting, sculpture, textiles, and photography. It encompasses artistic styles from realism to neoclassicism, abstract expressionism, modernism, and folk art. The museum’s holdings reflect its long-standing commitment to Black artists and the acquisition, preservation, and display of their work.

Browse SAAM's Collection

Three book catalogue covers: "African American Art," "The Art of Bill Traylor," and "Harlem Heroes."

Expand Your Library

Discover the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s art books and exhibition catalogues celebrating African American art and culture. Shop the beautifully illustrated books highlighting artists represented in the national collection, including Benny Andrews, William H. Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, Renée Stout, Alma Thomas, and Bill Traylor.

Shop the Collection

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is able to create and share stories like these thanks to funding from generous supporters like you.

Thank you for ensuring that American art is available to all.

Donate to Support SAAM

Image Credits: Carolyn Crump, BLM‑4 and George Floyd. Installation photography of This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2022, Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum; Photo by Rebekah Mejorado

Loïs Mailou Jones, Les Fétiches, 1938, oil on linen, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by Mrs. Norvin H. Green, Dr. R. Harlan, and Francis Musgrave, 1990.56

Elizabeth Catlett, Singing Head, 1980, black Mexican marble, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1989.52

Detail, Cover of "Portrait," a comic about artist Mickalene Thomas. Illustration by Shayna Cohen

Detail, 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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