
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem, or New Negro, Renaissance was a period of artistic and cultural rebirth among African Americans between 1918 and the mid-1930s. Many Black artists experienced a freedom of artistic expression for the first time. They asserted pride in Black life and identity, called out inequality and discrimination, and responded to a rapidly changing modern world.
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Article: Drawing with Scissors with Romare Bearden
Wendy MacNaughton takes us on a journey to meet the legendary Harlem artist known for his collages — and reflect on our own homes and families.

Video: How One Family Photographed a Black Renaissance
Art historian Rashieda Witter tells the story of the Scurlock Family, who photographed some of the artists and creatives responsible for the Black Renaissance in Washington, D.C.

Article: Your Tour of Black Artists at the National Gallery
These 10 works by Black artists are on view in our galleries, so you can see them during your next visit.
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Photography
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre was the first to permanently record an image using light in 1837. His daguerreotype changed the way we consume images. Many innovations like stereographic photographs and tintypes would follow but it was George Eastman’s invention of the Kodak film camera in 1888 that made cameras widely available.