Edmonia lewis
During the mid to late 1800s the United States was experiencing one of the greatest events in the country’s history. Edmonia Lewis became the first African-American and Native American female sculptor during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras when opposition towards minorities was still ongoing and strong. At that time, in a culture where man held the most power, this person, who was not only a woman, but an African- American and Native American, therefore born by all persecuted people; rose out of the shadows and achieved renowned fame in her artistic achievements, and paved the way for others held down by their societal positions. (“Edmonia Lewis,” 2012)
The United States was going through severe internal changes, both politically and socially during this time. In 1861 the Civil War broke out under President Abraham Lincoln’s power as the southern States- known as the Confederacy- began succeeding from the Union. Government control, including viewpoints of certain states on the issue of slavery and black rights divided the nation. With the defeat of the Confederacy in 1864 the era of Reconstruction began within the country and many of the southern States began being emitted back into Union. In 1870 the 15th amendment was past giving black men the right to vote. Though times were improving for African-Americans, at the state level, especially in the south there was still much opposition to equality. In 1875 Jim Crow laws were passed in the south and literacy tests were required for voting to try and limit the black vote. (Taylor, n.d.)Along with the changes and internal chaos going on dividing the nation over the rights of African-Americans, women were beginning their fight for power. Women activists and suffragists utilized this change in the black condition as a drive for them to start calls for action to better their societal position. Women began pushing the boundaries that had been set for them; the role of the maternal domestic housewife. During the Civil War they contributed to the war effort, a percentage of the women worked as nurses or took over their husband’s job while they were off at war. (Dubac, 2012) Suffrage and activism kept escalating and when the United States entered World War I in 1917 efforts towards particularly suffrage was prominent after the war’s end and finally in 1920 the Women’s Suffrage Amendment was ratified.(“The Fight for Women’s Suffrage,”2012)
During this time period in the United States there was very little education available to women because their lives were centered on domestic obligations. She was fortunate enough to attend a local grammar school in New York and New York Central College which was actually a Baptist abolitionist secondary school. Later on she attended Oberlin College’s Young Ladies Preparatory Department that was founded by abolitionists in 1835 and was the first college in the nation to admit women and African-Americans. Though she was privileged to attend college she didn’t go without experiencing opposition during her education. At Oberlin College she was accused of poisoning two white female students and was beaten while awaiting trial. Another time she was accused of stealing brushes and paints; after this in one account it says Oberlin didn’t allow her to complete her final term and graduate, another says she decided to pursue sculpting. (“Women in History,” 2013) Regardless, she did leave before completing her degree and went to Boston to study with Edward A. Brackett. She traveled and spent much time in Europe working with other aspiring female artists such as Harriet Hosmer and Anne Whitney.
In her lifetime she made many significant accomplishments in the art world and became the first internationally accredited female African-American and Native American sculptor. She sculpted many leaders of the abolitionist movement as well as courageous women. (Dubac, 2012) She completed many pieces in her lifetime, many of which have been lost; some are currently in private collections, colleges such as Harvard and Tuskegee while others are displayed in museums. Some of her better known pieces were The Freed Woman and Her Child, Forever Free and Hagar celebrating emancipation. She also sculpted individuals such as Ulysses S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln and created a famous bust of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At the International Exposition of Painting and Sculpture held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Naples she won a gold medal for a cherub piece Asleep and a certificate of excellence for Love Caught in a Trap. In 1873 she further pushed the odds and was the first internationally renowned female sculptor to exhibit in San Francisco and San Jose with pieces such as Lincoln, Asleep and Awake, Cupid Caught, and The Marriage of Hiawatha. (“Edmonia Lewis,” 2012) She was the first to link her race with her achievements, stunning those in society that believed blacks didn’t have the intelligence nor the capacity for fine art. She would stand by her works, take photographs, and discuss her pieces in detail to those willing to listen.
She went through exorbitant odds to become such an accredited artist during this time period of the United States. She was a pioneer that broadened the horizons for minority artists like her. Her passion and drive kept her going despite all the opposition she faced and through her leadership and inspiration she spurred generations of artists some of which went with her to Europe to get away from the harsh environment of the United States and study from masters and create works of universal appeal. She worked against the boundaries society had set for her, she didn’t allow her race, gender or societal class prevent her from achieving her full potential, and she become one of the greatest artists in history.
Reference List
Dubac, N. (2012). The history channel . Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-civil-war
Edmonia lewis: First internationally acclaimed african american sculptor. (2012, 03 24). Retrieved from http://www.edmonialewis.com/
Taylor Jr., D. Q. (n.d.). United states history:timeline:1800-1900. Retrieved from
http://faculty.washington.edu/qtaylor/a_us_history/1800_1900_timeline.htm
The fight for womens suffrage. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
Women in History. (2013, Feb 19). Edmonia lewis biography. Retrieved from http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/lewi-edm.htm
The United States was going through severe internal changes, both politically and socially during this time. In 1861 the Civil War broke out under President Abraham Lincoln’s power as the southern States- known as the Confederacy- began succeeding from the Union. Government control, including viewpoints of certain states on the issue of slavery and black rights divided the nation. With the defeat of the Confederacy in 1864 the era of Reconstruction began within the country and many of the southern States began being emitted back into Union. In 1870 the 15th amendment was past giving black men the right to vote. Though times were improving for African-Americans, at the state level, especially in the south there was still much opposition to equality. In 1875 Jim Crow laws were passed in the south and literacy tests were required for voting to try and limit the black vote. (Taylor, n.d.)Along with the changes and internal chaos going on dividing the nation over the rights of African-Americans, women were beginning their fight for power. Women activists and suffragists utilized this change in the black condition as a drive for them to start calls for action to better their societal position. Women began pushing the boundaries that had been set for them; the role of the maternal domestic housewife. During the Civil War they contributed to the war effort, a percentage of the women worked as nurses or took over their husband’s job while they were off at war. (Dubac, 2012) Suffrage and activism kept escalating and when the United States entered World War I in 1917 efforts towards particularly suffrage was prominent after the war’s end and finally in 1920 the Women’s Suffrage Amendment was ratified.(“The Fight for Women’s Suffrage,”2012)
During this time period in the United States there was very little education available to women because their lives were centered on domestic obligations. She was fortunate enough to attend a local grammar school in New York and New York Central College which was actually a Baptist abolitionist secondary school. Later on she attended Oberlin College’s Young Ladies Preparatory Department that was founded by abolitionists in 1835 and was the first college in the nation to admit women and African-Americans. Though she was privileged to attend college she didn’t go without experiencing opposition during her education. At Oberlin College she was accused of poisoning two white female students and was beaten while awaiting trial. Another time she was accused of stealing brushes and paints; after this in one account it says Oberlin didn’t allow her to complete her final term and graduate, another says she decided to pursue sculpting. (“Women in History,” 2013) Regardless, she did leave before completing her degree and went to Boston to study with Edward A. Brackett. She traveled and spent much time in Europe working with other aspiring female artists such as Harriet Hosmer and Anne Whitney.
In her lifetime she made many significant accomplishments in the art world and became the first internationally accredited female African-American and Native American sculptor. She sculpted many leaders of the abolitionist movement as well as courageous women. (Dubac, 2012) She completed many pieces in her lifetime, many of which have been lost; some are currently in private collections, colleges such as Harvard and Tuskegee while others are displayed in museums. Some of her better known pieces were The Freed Woman and Her Child, Forever Free and Hagar celebrating emancipation. She also sculpted individuals such as Ulysses S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln and created a famous bust of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At the International Exposition of Painting and Sculpture held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Naples she won a gold medal for a cherub piece Asleep and a certificate of excellence for Love Caught in a Trap. In 1873 she further pushed the odds and was the first internationally renowned female sculptor to exhibit in San Francisco and San Jose with pieces such as Lincoln, Asleep and Awake, Cupid Caught, and The Marriage of Hiawatha. (“Edmonia Lewis,” 2012) She was the first to link her race with her achievements, stunning those in society that believed blacks didn’t have the intelligence nor the capacity for fine art. She would stand by her works, take photographs, and discuss her pieces in detail to those willing to listen.
She went through exorbitant odds to become such an accredited artist during this time period of the United States. She was a pioneer that broadened the horizons for minority artists like her. Her passion and drive kept her going despite all the opposition she faced and through her leadership and inspiration she spurred generations of artists some of which went with her to Europe to get away from the harsh environment of the United States and study from masters and create works of universal appeal. She worked against the boundaries society had set for her, she didn’t allow her race, gender or societal class prevent her from achieving her full potential, and she become one of the greatest artists in history.
Reference List
Dubac, N. (2012). The history channel . Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-civil-war
Edmonia lewis: First internationally acclaimed african american sculptor. (2012, 03 24). Retrieved from http://www.edmonialewis.com/
Taylor Jr., D. Q. (n.d.). United states history:timeline:1800-1900. Retrieved from
http://faculty.washington.edu/qtaylor/a_us_history/1800_1900_timeline.htm
The fight for womens suffrage. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
Women in History. (2013, Feb 19). Edmonia lewis biography. Retrieved from http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/lewi-edm.htm