THIS PROGRAM IS VIA ZOOM

African-Americans have been part of New York since the days of New Amsterdam, but their

relationship to the dominant Western society is complex and difficult. Public art throughout

the city reflects the changing dynamics: a marker for the original slave market has only been

set up recently; the African Burial Ground had been built over and neglected until its

discovery in the 1990s and now is graced with a very impressive memorial. Several 19th

century sculptures include often controversial representations of African Americans, but it’s

only in recent times that we are catching up on filling in the historical gaps and honoring

people like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass. Increasingly more black

artists have recently been commissioned to create most inspirational public art works for

NYC, performative, temporary as well as permanent. Artists include Pope L., Martin Puryear,

Kara Walker, Hank Willis Thomas, Nari Ward, Simone Leigh and many others.