Author Portraits From Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice
Learn more about 16 influential Black writers whose work covers more than 100 years of American history through original works of art created specifically for Dark Testament.
Frederick Douglass by Damon Reed
Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was a formerly enslaved person who became a well-known public speaker and author. He used his words to transform a world that often refused to recognize his humanity.
Learn more in our virtual exhibit Frederick Douglass: Agitator
Ida B. Wells by Dorothy Irene Burge
Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) was a journalist whose reporting on lynching is still important today. Her writing condemned anti-Black violence, and she fought for a better future. The Adinkra symbol at the bottom right stands for strength, resourcefulness, and defiance of oppression.
Paul Laurence Dunbar by Dorian Sylvain
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) died when he was only 33, leaving behind a literary legacy as one of the foremost Black poets of his day. The oak leaves represent his first book of poetry, Oak and Ivy, which contained many poems that discussed racial prejudice.
Ma Rainey by Bernard Williams
Ma Rainey (1886-1939) inspired a generation of Black musicians as the “Songbird of the South.” As one of the earliest blues singers, her music was full of life and soul. She established herself in the music industry as a prolific songwriter and a shrewd businesswoman.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper by Damon Reed
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was a lifelong advocate for abolition and civil rights for Black people and women. In 1859, Harper became the first known African American woman to publish a short story.
Nella Larsen by Dorian Sylvain
With a white mother and half-sister, Nella Larsen (1891-1964) never felt like she fit in. Her skin was too dark for the immigrant community her mother came from, and too light for the Black community. The hourglass here represents her internal conflict.
Langston Hughes by Bernard Williams
Langston Hughes (1902-1967) used poetry to address racial justice. He was inspired by many things, particularly blues and jazz music. His writing helped shape the Harlem Renaissance.
W.E.B. Du Bois by Damon Reed
W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) made the case for African Americans to receive full civil rights. Yet, he always felt out of place in the world. When he was in his 90’s, he moved to Accra, Ghana, a country where he felt at home and whose flag is shown here.
Richard Wright by Dorothy Irene Burge
Richard Wright (1908-1960) was the grandchild of former enslaved people, and was well acquainted with poverty. The Adinkra symbol near Wright’s papers literally means “bite not one another,” which suggests his connection to the Black solidarity movement.
Pauli Murray by Dorian Sylvain
Pauli Murray (1910-1985) was a poet, activist, lawyer, and priest. The cross in the background emphasizes her strong commitment to religion, while the bus in the foreground represents her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.
Learn more in our virtual exhibit Pauli Murray: Survival with Dignity
Zora Neale Hurston by Dorothy Irene Burge
Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) studied anthropology in college. The Adinkra symbol on her dress represents the supremacy of God over all beings. This symbol was chosen in reference to Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Ethel Payne by Damon Reed
Ethel Payne (1911-1991) was a fearless reporter who would not back down from contentious social issues. She became known as the “First Lady of the Black Press” due to her commitment to justice and journalistic excellence.
James Baldwin by Bernard Williams
James Baldwin (1924-1987) was a powerful writer and speaker whose words both captured and influenced the long Civil Rights Movement. After moving to France to finish his novels, he found a sense of belonging there that he didn’t feel in Harlem, New York.
Ralph Ellison by Dorothy Irene Burge
Ralph Ellison (1914-1994) wove together elements of Black culture – music, novels, folklore, philosophy, and history – into his famous novel Invisible Man. The Adinkra symbol near his leg represents toughness in spite of opposition.
Malcolm X by Bernard Williams
Malcolm X (1925-1965) redefined the Civil Rights Movement as a fight for human rights. He was a member of the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious group symbolized by the crescent and star.
Maya Angelou by Dorian Sylvain
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was a respected spokesperson for Black people and women. Her slight smile and kind eyes convey the joy and beauty she brought to her writing. While her works touch on many difficult themes, the hope she embraced is symbolized by the flying bird.
Dark Testament Artists
From Left to Right - Bernard Williams, Damon Reed, Dorian Sylvain and Dorothy Irene Burge
Dark Testament
The American Writers Museum presents a new exhibit Dark Testament where the words of black writers speak to a fuller, richer story of the human experience, that spans generations of writers. Learn more at americanwritersmuseum.org.
