How Did Aaron Douglass Impact Society

One of the most influential artists of the African American descent is Aaron Douglas. He was a very skilled artist, who focused mainly on print making and painting throughout his career. He has several different collections of artwork, each unique in their own way. He lead a very eventful life that ultimately improved his artwork, and his impact on the world. Through the exploration of his background, motivations and influences, and his artwork, viewers can fully understand his significant impact, particularly in the black community.

Aaron Douglas was born on May 26, 1899 in Topeka, Kansas. His family grew up poor, and he attended racially segregated schools. Upon graduation of high school, he moved to Detroit, MI and worked several different

He resided there during the Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, which “was characterized by an emphasis on the African aspects of black American culture, white patronage, racial pride, and a collaborative spirit” (DeLombard). Although he was reluctant about his artistic opportunities in Harlem as first, he soon realized the impact the community was going to have on him, and his career. “There were so many things I was seeing for the first time”, Douglas stated, “…seeing a big city that was entirely black, from beginning to end you were impressed by the fact that black people were in charge of things” (Knappe 122-3). This is where Douglas began to see and appreciate his historical African roots and take pride in them. In Harlem is also where Douglas met the person who would change his art career forever. This person was Winold Reiss, a skilled German artist. Douglas began taking classes with him, where Reiss challenged him to use his African heritage to influence his artwork. This was the first time that he had decided to do so, and this decision shaped the rest of his career (Davis 95). Through his time in Harlem, he began his career in printmaking for magazines and journals. His first publications were after he had been working in the mailroom for the journal Crisis. The editor, W.E.B. Du Bois, offered to let him have his artwork in some publications. He also had his artwork

The first of many murals he was commissioned for, was at Club Ebony in Harlem. He would then continue to do more murals in various places such as in Chicago, North Carolina, and different areas of New York, besides Harlem. Although, one of his more significant murals is in Nashville, TN at Fisk University. This would eventually lead to him finishing out his career at the University