The Negro in Art Week

This is a poster for The Negro in Art  Week exhibition at the Institute of Art in Chicago.  It was designed by Charles Dawson, an African-American designer who was born in Georgia. He was the first African-American admitted into the Arts Students League of New York, but left shortly after due to the racism in the league. He was then admitted to the Art Institute of Chicago that he found to be “entirely free of bias.” He became very involved with the school and went on to become one of the founding members of the first Black artists collective in Chicago, The Arts & Letters Collective. He fought in WWI and came back to Chicago where he continued to produce work with the collective and do freelance for  other black entrepreneurs. 

This poster advertises the display of the first exhibition of African American art at the Institute of Art in Chicago. This is a very huge step for providing a platform and voice for black artists in America. This design represents the increase in accessibility to art and design with the help of Dawson and the school. 

As an artist, Dawson worked to make the art and design world more equitable and accessible, specifically for black artists. He did this not only through the power of his design but through his organizational skills with his collective and curated art shows to provide a space and voice where there previously was none. His encounter with the education at the Art Institute of Chicago helped provide a stepping stone for his success. The schools open minded nature made art more accessible to him and lifted him up.