“We have every right to take great pride in the new and rising generation of our artists and we ought to support them in their struggle for equal opportunity,” wrote the African American singer and performer Paul Robeson. During the Harlem Renaissance (1918–mid-1930s), Robeson rose to fame through his theater performances in The Emperor Jones and All God’s Chillun Got Wings. Robeson was also known for his unwavering progressive social stance, and he frequently spoke out against racial discrimination. In 1927 he befriended the sculptor Jacob Epstein, who carved Robeson’s face into this bronze bust with defining textured layers. Epstein’s process relied solely on a sketch he had drawn of his subject.
2025
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Looking for Langston
Gallery 510Looking for Langston, a 1989 film by British artist and filmmaker Sir Isaac Julien, meditates on the life and legacy of African American writer and activist Langston Hughes.
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