Celebrate Black Artists This Weekend

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.

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.

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.

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.