Samella Lewis, PhD

Samella Lewis, PhD (1923 - 2022) was a pioneering American artist, art historian, and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of African American art. Born in New Orleans, Lewis was the first woman and African American to earn a doctorate in art history from the University of Southern California in 1951. As part of the African American tradition of  scholar artists, Lewis was not only  a renowned scholar but also a talented artist who worked in  various media, including painting, printmaking, and  sculpture. 

Lewis’ work often explored themes of social justice, civil rights, and the  African American experience. Her paintings and prints frequently incorporated bold colors, striking imagery, and a strong sense of social and political engagement. Importantly, Lewis  studied with  the renowned American artist Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012) at the University of Iowa, who became a mentor and friend to her. In 1984 she published “The Art of  Elizabeth Catlett”, which went into a second edition in 2000.

Throughout her career, Lewis was  dedicated to the study, preservation, and  promotion of African American art and culture. She authored  several seminal books on the subject, including “ The Black Artist on Art” ( 1969) and  “African American Art and artists” (1978), which helped to bring greater recognition to the contributions of African American artists. She was also a co-founder of the California African American Museum in 1977. The  International Review of African American Art was first published in  1977. This quarterly  journal was founded and edited by Dr Samella Lewis and hosted at Hampton University ( formerly Hampton Institute) in 1977. Through the International Review of African  American Art and her other scholarly  and artistic endeavors, Lewis  played a pivotal role in elevating the visibility and appreciation of African American art within the broader art world. (HT)