Elizabeth Catlett — Malcolm X Speaks for Us (1972)
Elizabeth Catlett — Malcolm X Speaks for Us (1972)
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Archive — Vintage impression with minor edge or border wear consistent with age; image remains clear and intact.
Ships securely in a poster tube. Certificate of authenticity included.
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Why This Work Matters
Elizabeth Catlett's Malcolm X Speaks for Us is among the most significant political images of her career. Based on her celebrated 1969 linocut, the composition unites Malcolm X with repeated portraits of Black women, emphasizing collective strength, dignity, and resilience within Black communities.. Through bold graphic forms and rhythmic repetition, Catlett created one of the defining political images of twentieth-century Black printmaking.
Provenance & Publication
Year
1972 Contemporary Crafts Edition
Handcraft Studios Edition: vintage production date undocumented
Copyright
© Multicultural Productions, Los Angeles, California (Contemporary Crafts Edition)
Handcraft Studios, Los Angeles, California (later edition)
Produced by
Contemporary Crafts Inc. (1972 Edition)
Handcraft Studios (later vintage Edition)
Published under the authority
Dr. Samella Lewis and the Contemporary Crafts publishing archive
Source Archive
Original publishing archive and collection of Dr. Samella Lewis
This work is offered as a vintage offset lithograph poster from the original publishing archive established under the authority of Dr. Samella Lewis. Collectors may acquire either the 1972 Contemporary Crafts Edition or the later Handcraft Studios Edition.
Both editions represent important chapters in the wider circulation, preservation, and collecting history of Elizabeth Catlett’s work.
Publication History
Originally published by Contemporary Crafts in 1972 under the direction of Dr. Samella Lewis, Malcolm X Speaks for Us represents one of the landmark works issued through the Contemporary Crafts publishing program. As demand for the image continued, later Handcraft Studios editions helped extend its circulation while preserving Catlett's original composition for new generations of collectors.
Today, both editions remain part of the Samella Lewis Publishing Archive, reflecting an important chapter in the preservation and wider distribution of Elizabeth Catlett's work. Together they document the continuing stewardship of one of the twentieth century's most significant images of Black political art.
About the Artist
Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was one of the most influential American artists of the twentieth century. Her work addressed social justice, labor, and the lived experiences of Black communities with clarity, dignity, and moral force.
Working primarily in printmaking and sculpture, Catlett combined technical mastery with a lifelong commitment to social change. Her images of Black life remain foundational to American art history and are held in the collections of major museums worldwide.
About the Publisher
Dr. Samella Lewis was an art historian, curator, publisher, educator, artist, and institution builder whose work fundamentally shaped the preservation and study of African American art.
As founder of Contemporary Crafts and co-founder of the Museum of African American Art, she published landmark editions by leading Black artists while expanding access to African American cultural history.
Product Details
Artist: Elizabeth Catlett
Title: Malcolm X Speaks for Us
Medium: Vintage offset lithograph poster
Available Editions:
1972 Contemporary Crafts Edition
Handcraft Studios Edition
Dimensions:
1972 Contemporary Crafts Edition: 14 × 18 inches
Handcraft Studios Edition: 11¾ × 15½ inches
Condition: Archive; may show minor signs of age consistent with vintage stored inventory.
Framing: Unframed
Documentation: Certificate of authenticity included
Availability
This vintage offset lithograph was produced as part of a finite historical publication and is no longer in production. Remaining examples come from the original Samella Lewis Publishing Archive and continue to enter museum, institutional, and private collections.
As surviving inventory is acquired, availability naturally diminishes over time. Once the archive is exhausted, comparable vintage examples may only be obtainable through the secondary market.
Part of the Samella Lewis Publishing Archive Collection.
Part of the Samella Lewis Publishing Archive Collection.
Shipping & Care
Each print is carefully packaged to ensure safe delivery.
Ships securely in a protective poster tube.
Certificate of authenticity included.
Shipping timelines and return information are provided at checkout.