Kwame Brathwaite

Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Kwame Brathwaite, a dedicated photojournalist and activist, popularised the phrase "Black is Beautiful" and documented life in Harlem and Africa. He adopted the name Kwame in the early 1960s, honouring Ghana's first post-colonial leader, Kwame Nkrumah. Raised in the South Bronx by Barbadian immigrant parents, Brathwaite captured the cultural, political, and social changes in Harlem, Africa, and the African diaspora. This image is from Brathwaite’s 'Black is Beautiful' series, influenced by Marcus Garvey's ideas and the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS). In 1962, AJASS organised a fashion show called “Naturally '62” to promote racial pride. Brathwaite used his photography to create positive images of African-Americans, believing that artistic and political vision could shape popular culture, which in turn could influence broader societal change.