Wangechi Mutu is a Kenyan-American artist known for her multidisciplinary work that explores identity, gender, race, violence, and postcolonial histories. She blends drawing, sculpture, painting, collage, and performance to craft surreal, often provocative imagery that addresses the complexity of the Black female body in both historical and contemporary contexts. Mutu was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1972, and later moved to the United States, where she studied at Cooper Union and later earned her MFA from Yale University.

Lorna Simpson is an African -American artist/photographer who is known for her work that explores identity, race, gender, and representation. She uses photography, video, film, painting, drawing, audio, and sculpture to create her unique style of  art. Her work also often touches on the experience of those who are often marginalized in society such as Black people, women and people in the LGBTQ community.

Kara Walker is a contemporary African American artist known for her uniquely crafted  works that often addresses race, identity, gender, sexuality, and the legacies of slavery and the Civil War. Her art often takes the form of large-scale installations, silhouette cutouts, and multimedia pieces that engage with these complex themes.

Titus Kaphar was born in 1982 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Growing up, he faced the challenges of navigating the complexities of identity and race, especially in a predominantly white space. His early life was influenced by personal experiences with history,

Nari Ward is a Jamaican-American contemporary artist born in 1963 known for his large-scale sculptures, installations, and mixed-media works that address themes of race, identity, social issues, and the African diaspora. Born in Jamaica, Ward moved to New York in the early 1980s, where he attended the School of Visual Arts. His work often involves everyday objects and materials, such as found textiles, shoes, ropes, and cans, which he uses to create powerful symbolic imagery.

“Hollywood Africans” is one of a series of Jean-Michel Basquiat's paintings that feature images and texts relating to stereotypes of African Americans in the entertainment industry. Painted in Los Angeles, in 1983 the piece shows an incredible use of vibrant colors, texts, and symbolistic images. The painting offers a powerful commentary on race, identity, and the African American experience within the entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood.

Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937) was one of the most prominent African American artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His life story, however, is more about perseverance, creativity, and overcoming the obstacles of his time with direct experiences of slavery. Henry Ossawa Tanner was born on June 21, 1859, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to a middle-class African American family.