Arts and Culture

Biography

Georgia Douglas Johnson

Georgia Douglas Johnson was one of the most well-known Black female writers and playwrights of her time.

Lesson Plan

Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor: Culinary Anthropologist

How can food be used as a form of cultural memory & resistance?

Biography

Edith Kanaka'ole 

Edith Kanaka’ole (also affectionately called “Aunty Edith”), a native Hawaiian composer, chanter and dancer, was a champion for the preservation of native Hawaiian culture and arts.

Biography

Lorraine Hansberry

In 1959, Lorraine Hansberry made history as the first African American woman to have a show produced on Broadway—A Raisin in the Sun.

Biography

Rosie Lee Tompkins

Rosie Lee Tompkins was a renowned Africa American quiltmaker who used dazzling colors and vivid geometric shapes to make amazing works of art.

Biography

Nanfu Wang

A 2020 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant winner, Nanfu Wang uses film to explore the relationship between individuals and governments.

Biography

Laverne Cox

A prominent actress and the first openly transgender person nominated for an Emmy, Laverne Cox has promoted visibility and awareness on behalf of the transgender community.

Biography

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald, known as “The First Lady of Song,” was a revolutionary American jazz singer who performed all over the world.

Biography

Mary Lou Williams

One of the greatest jazz pianists, composers, and arrangers of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a swing and bebop icon.

Biography

Nina Simone

“The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist.

Biography

Shirley Horn

Jazz singer and pianist Shirley Horn was one of the leading jazz musicians of her generation.

Biography

Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her sixty-year career. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music.

Biography

Lois Curtis

Lois Curtis was one of the plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case Olmstead v. L.C. (1999) that established the right of individuals with disabilities to live in the least restrictive settings possible.

Biography

Alma Woodsey Thomas

As an artist and world traveler who never married or had children, Alma Woodsey Thomas circumvented society’s expectations for Black women born in the 19th century.

Lesson Plan

How do we remember and honor the contributions of women in public space?

The objective of this lesson is to help students thinking critically about public history and the decision-making that goes into designing and advocating for public memorials to commemorate women in American history.

Exhibit

Feminismo: La Segunda Ola

Al igual que la primera ola, que se desarrolló durante un período de reformas sociales, la segunda ola también tuvo lugar en medio de otros movimientos sociales y políticos.

Biography

Agnes de Mille

Agnes de Mille was one of the preeminent American choreographers of the twentieth century.

Biography

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary created some of the most beloved children’s book characters of the 20th century.

Biography

Cicely Tyson

Cecily Tyson dedicated her career to portraying resilient African American women on the stage and the screen.

Biography

Edmonia Lewis

Edmonia “Wildfire” Lewis is considered the first professional BIPOC sculptor in the United States and the first to achieve international acclaim.