About the Artist
Dr. Samella Lewis (1923–2022) was one of the most influential figures in the history of African American art. An artist, scholar, curator, and publisher, she played a foundational role in documenting and advancing Black artists within the American canon.
Her work spans painting, printmaking, and scholarship, and is held in the collections of major museums and institutions worldwide.
Beyond her studio practice, Lewis’s impact extends through the institutions and publishing efforts she built—ensuring that Black artists and their work were preserved, studied, and widely accessible.
