BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTIST THE HISTORY :

Jacob Lawrence, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Aaron Douglas, Faith Ringgold, Elizabeth Cortlett, Ratye Saar, Augusta Savage and Edmonia Lewis. These are just a few names of famous African American Artist and African American Art is a broad term describing the visual art of the American Black community, influenced by the various cultural traditions, including those of Africa, Europe and the Americas, traditional African American art forms include the range of plastic arts from basket weaving, potting and quilting to wood carving and painting. From its early origins in slave communities, through the end of the 20th century, African American art has made a vital contribution to the art of the United States.

During the period between the 17th century and the early 19th century art took the form of small drums, quilts, wrought iron figures and ceramic vessels in the Southern United States these artifacts have similarities with comparable crafts in west and central Africa. In contrast Black Artisans like the New England based engraver Scipio Moorhead and the Baltimore portrait painter Joshua Johnson created art that was conceived in a Western European fashion for there local markets worked in these or similar media in Africa, Others learned there trade and crafts as apprentices to African or White skilled workers. It was normal practice for slave owner to hire out skilled artisans out to other white plantation owners.