Life is but a moment
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Captioned Black Art
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“‘The world takes more than its pound of flesh sometimes. It’s devised all kinds of torture, the most exquisite being a colossal indifference.’”
— Paule Marshall, Brown Girl, Brownstones
A Snippet:
Did you know that a teenage Valenze “Pauline” Burke (b. 1929)—smitten with author and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (d. 1906)—changed her middle name from Pauline to Paule (pronounced with a silent “e”) in order to honor the late-great Black poet?
Learn more . . .
1. “Friendly Friendship Baptist Church” (1994)
“The beauty of the ghetto not only defined how (and in what ways) Black was beautiful, but it gave a sense of pride; a sense of community.”
— Ernie Barnes
Did you know?
Did you know that in 1959, 21 year-old Ernie Barnes was the tenth-round draft choice for the Baltimore Colts and played professional football for the New York Titans, the San Diego Chargers, and the Denver Broncos?
As a 6'3, 250-pound offensive guard, he held his own on the football field but, even in uniform, Barnes was fiercely passionate about his art; so much so that he kept a pencil in his sock to sketch during games.
His teammates affectionately nicknamed him, “Big Rembrandt.”
2. “Slave Auction” (1849)
“Dear Sir, I am happy to inform you that you are not mistaken in the man whom you sold as property, and received pay for as such. But I thank God that I am not property now, but am regarded as a man like yourself, and although I live far north, I am enjoying a comfortable living by my own industry.”
— Henry Bibb
Did you know?
Did you know that Henry Bibb is remembered for his many failed attempts to escape enslavement, which he documented in his self-published book (Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, An American Slave, Written by Himself, 1849) — but his legacy wouldn’t end upon his final (successful) escape?
”You may perhaps think hard of us for running away from slavery, but as to myself, I have but one apology to make for it, which is this: I have only to regret that I did not start at an earlier period,” wrote Bibb in his autobiography.
Like many escapees, Bibb was faced with the impossible choice of leaving behind family members and loved ones; thus, he spent the remainder of his life sharing his secrets, assisting in the Underground Railroad, and later dedicated his efforts to writing about the abolishment of slavery, while living free in Canada.
3. “Hero (Story of Us)”
“My greatest affinity has always been with the proponents and masters of Realism and the Baroque Period, as I have deeply admired an artistic ability to capture the emotional and active essence of a particular moment in time, in media res.”
— Thomas Williams
Did you know?
Did you know that Thomas Williams started drawing at the young age of twelve?
In fact, Thomas Williams’s entrepreneurial efforts started early, selling original airbrushes as a teen to friends and classmates.
Throughout a long and rewarding career, Williams has worked in advertising, dedicating his free time to watercoloring and, “Artistic creations in colored pencil, acrylics, and oil paints of a more personal vein.”
To run from life, may carry a hefty price
(Breathe In . . . Breathe Out)
Life is but a moment
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