The Studio Museum in Harlem A History

A kaleidoscopic history of the Studio Museum in Harlem told through oral histories, essays, and a trove of archival imagery

Founded in 1968 by a diverse group of artists, community activists, and philanthropists, the Studio Museum in Harlem is internationally known for its catalytic role in promoting the work of artists of African descent. The Museum has a unique history but until now, there has not been a publication that positions its founding and tells its story.

Bringing together oral histories from the Museum’s founding figures; essays by leading scholars, curators, and artists; and a trove of archival material, this dynamic volume offers the first comprehensive history of the Studio Museum. In-depth essays anchor thematic sections examining the Museum’s founding, its collecting practices and exhibitions, and community engagement. Shorter texts and monologues drawn from interviews with foundational figures immerse the reader in specific events, exhibitions, and moments in the landmark institution’s history. At the book’s center is an expansive visual archive offering a timeline in ephemera and photographs, many of them published here for the first time. This richly illustrated volume will serve as the definitive resource on the history and legacy of the place “Where Black Art Lives.”

Distributed for the Studio Museum in Harlem

Romi Crawford is professor of visual and critical studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, initiator of the Black Arts Movement School Modality and the New Art School Modality, and a former curator and director of education at the Studio Museum in Harlem.