Aaron Douglas
1899–1979
Introduction
Aaron Douglas (May 26, 1899 – February 2, 1979) was an American painter, illustrator, and visual arts educator. He was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He developed his art career painting murals and creating illustrations that addressed social issues around race and segregation in the United States by utilizing African-centric imagery. Douglas set the stage for young, African-American artists to enter the public-arts realm through his involvement with the Harlem Artists Guild. In 1944, he concluded his art career by founding the Art Department at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He taught visual art classes at Fisk University until his retirement in 1966. Douglas is known as a prominent leader in modern African-American art whose work influenced artists for years to come.
Wikidata identifier
Q4661979
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed July 30, 2025.
Introduction
Douglas was the leading artist of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. He was the first African-American artist to include African artifacts in his work as a way to demonstrate the continuity of African culture despite slavery.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, advertising artist, art critic, author, decorative painter, etcher, graphic artist, illustrator, lecturer, manufacturer, muralist, painter, pastelist, pen draftsman, professor
ULAN identifier
500110570
Names
Aaron Douglas, Douglas Aaron
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 30, 2025.
