In Celebration of Black History Month 2024, Part One: The First Black American Artist
Photo Credit: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Throughout the ages there have been many talented and often unrecognized black artists, artists whose contributions, even if quietly, have shaped the way we view and create art today. From painting to sculpting to designing fashionable clothing and even to ballerinas, musicians and composers, art is presented in many shapes and forms, all of them special and important in their own right. But how many black artists can you name off the top of your head? How many pieces of art created by a black artist can you name or identify? If your answer is not many, you’ve come to the right place! I couldn’t name a single one until I began researching for this article and before I knew it, one article had turned into a week’s worth! And now, I’m pleased to say I have even selected my own favorites among them! And I hope, as I present them to you, you will do the same! Cheers to black history at its finest!
So, who was the first African American artist to earn recognition for his work? Joshua Johnson, a black man from the Baltimore Maryland region, born in 1763 and passing away sometime after 1826, although the exact time, date, and manner of death are unknown. Historians argue about whether the last name is spelled Johnson or Johnston. Johnson was skilled at painting beautiful portraits. It is said that his mother was a black slave woman owned by William Wheeler Sr. in Baltimore Maryland. He may or may not have been a slave, the information available online tells a contradicting story. Information available from the Smithsonian American Art Museum suggests that he was not, however, and that he more likely came to America from the French West Indies as an indentured servant and earned his freedom. Johnson is listed in the City Directory of Baltimore from 1796 – 1824, and during those years slaves were not listed whatsoever. He is listed as a landowner in several counties in Maryland as well, indicating that he was successful in his career choice as a professional portrait painter, a profession that he is identified as in all these same records. Records cite Johnson’s race as mulatto, but the records did not distinguish between mixed race during that period. Some have alleged that he was biracial and his skin color so light that he was able to evade identification as an African American, although there is no evidence to confirm this. He also appears in historical records as a “free householder of color,” which seems to refute the biracial claim. Johnson was married and he had three children with his wife, Sarah.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Over 100 portraits are credited to Johnson during that era, though none of them are dated and only one of which contains his signature. All the sitters in Johnson’s portraits are white except for two unidentified black males. The portraits are credited to him based on the approximate ages of the sitters, mostly affluent Baltimore citizens, the portraits passed down to heirs for generations. The portraits all have simple, plain backdrops and contain various props such as parasols or riding crops with the sitters, and follow a style similar to that of Charles Peale Polk, nephew of Charles Wilson Peale, the most influential artist and artistic family in the Baltimore region during that era, though the Peale family record archives reveal no indication that Johnson ever received any training from the Peale family or even so much as mentioned his name. In an advertisement Johnson placed himself he claims to be self-taught, but if this is so he was at least familiar with Peale’s work and had practiced the style, the similarities are so many.
Photo Credit: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
One last note about Johnson is best read from his own words in that advertisement titled Portrait Painting, which he placed in the Baltimore Intelligencer, 19 Dec. 1798:-
“As a self-taught genius, deriving from nature and industry his knowledge of the Art; and having experienced many insuperable obstacles in the pursuit of his studies, it is highly gratifying to him to make assurances of his ability to execute all commands with an effect, and in a style, which must give satisfaction.”
-Joshua Johnson, Baltimore Intelligencer, 19 Dec. 1798
Knowing that Johnson is the first black American to ever rise to professional status as an artist, it is impossible to imagine the struggles he must have endured. The discrimination was probably nearly unbearable, and the racism must have been a true hurdle to rise from. As he put it so eloquently, these were insuperable obstacles. Even acquiring a customer base that was willing to allow him to paint their portraits would be nearly impossible. Never mind his status as a landowner and free colored householder. As we all know too well, Americans are far from color blind, and they will rear the ugly head of racial inequality every opportunity they can.
I hope that you will join me again soon to learn about another influential black artist and to celebrate their moment in history together. Until then….
References:
Smithsonian American Art Museum. (2024). Joshua Johnson. Joshua Johnson | Smithsonian American Art Museum (si.edu)
Walls, J. (2020). Born into Slavery, Joshua Johnson Became the First Black Professional Artist in the United States.How Joshua Johnson Became the First Black Professional Artist in the United States | Artsy
About the Author:
Tia is an investigative journalist here at BLACK. She holds degrees in Political Science and Applied Economics from SNHU and she is a first-year law student at Purdue Global Law School, pursuing her J.D. She also has a certification in Human Rights from Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise Idaho and she recently interned for the Office of Budget and Entitlement Policy at Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. Tia is a RESULTS 2024 Organizing and Advocacy Fellow and Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator. She lives with her husband and three children in Hurricane, West Virginia.
In her free time, she enjoys contemporary art, fashion, home décor, reading, and family. Tia is passionate about protecting American consumers and corporations and is a strong proponent for open markets, human rights, and equality for all. Her current focus is slavery reparations, entitlement program solvency, and budget appropriations process reform. While Tia is not black, she supports the fight for equality and stands with BLM. She believes that unearned privilege creates a duty to act against racial inequality and injustices.
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