(1892 –1962) – Sculptor

Born Augusta Fells near Jacksonville in Florida, Augusta Savage is an American sculptor remembered for her association with the Harlem Renaissance and her role as a trailblazer for women artists of colour. In 1939 she was the first African American woman to open her own art gallery. She used it to champion the work of black artists and throughout her life worked for equal rights for African Americans in the arts. As a teacher, her studio provided a space to cultivate the work of aspiring young artists who would go on to international success. 

‘I have created nothing really beautiful, really lasting, but if I can inspire one of these youngsters to develop the talent, I know they possess, then my monument will be in their work.’

Lucy Hannah

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/may/08/augusta-savage-black-artist-new-york