What does it mean to be a Black woman artist?

Our story begins in 1971, a time marked by revolution, shifting politics, and a budding assertion of Black cultural identity. Three young women, Kay Brown, Dindga McCannon, and Faith Ringgold—living in Harlem as artists, mothers, sisters, and teachers— all while navigating the intersections of race, class, and gender. At these intersections, one realizes that little focus and few resources nurtured Black women’s artistic pursuits within a predominantly male Black art world and a primarily white downtown art scene.

Rather than giving up, the three women gathered other Black women artists in McCannon’s home to share their perspectives on building artistic careers while balancing their responsibilities to their families and communities. These insights were used as momentum for their inaugural exhibition, “Where We At”—Black Women Artists, 1971, at the Acts of Art Gallery in New York’s West Village. The exhibition was the first to present Black women as professional artists rather than background characters—unapologetically asserting their place in the art world.

As we revisit the legacy of Where We At Black Women Artists nearly five decades later, their relevance remains potent. Forward Ever—Celebrating Where We At Black Women Artists, (1971-Now), at Weeksville Heritage Center presents works from members Claudia Aziza Gibson-Hunter, Sadikisha Collier, Jerrolyn Crooks deGracia, Charlotte Ka, Dindga McCannon, Ann Tanksley, Joyce Wellman, and Viola Burley Leak, reflecting on the broader narrative of Black women in art. This exhibition invites us to question how we can sustain spaces that nurture the artistic pursuits of those at the furthest margins, reject the gatekeeping that stifles creativity, and transcend our silos as we harness the power of the collective to support each other on life’s journey.

On View
August 27th – October 25th

Artists:
Ann Tanksley
Sadikisha Collier
Dindga McCannon
Charlotte Ka
Joyce Wellman
Claudia Aziza Gibson Hunter
Jerrolyn Crooks deGracia
Viola Burley Leak

Curators: Erica Harper & Sika Bonsu

Photos Credits: Dindga McCannon, Pat is Pregnant, 1977. Courtesy of Fridman Gallery