African-Americans have been part of New York since the days of New Amsterdam, but their
relationship to the dominant Western society is complex and difficult. Public art throughout
the city reflects the changing dynamics: a marker for the original slave market has only been
set up recently; the African Burial Ground had been built over and neglected until its
discovery in the 1990s and now is graced with a very impressive memorial. Several 19th
century sculptures include often controversial representations of African Americans, but it’s
only in recent times that we are catching up on filling in the historical gaps and honoring
people like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass. Increasingly more black
artists have recently been commissioned to create most inspirational public art works for
NYC, performative, temporary as well as permanent. Artists include Pope L., Martin Puryear,
Kara Walker, Hank Willis Thomas, Nari Ward, Simone Leigh and many others.

Art Historian Sylvia Laudien-Meo has been an art professionalfor over 30 years, teaching at NYC art museums (MoMA, Guggenheim and the Jewish Museum), guiding art and architecture tours for the Municipal Art Society, Brandeis and UFT as well as private clients, teaching at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and now offering virtual tours and lectures.

Presented by the Kemmerer Library, a Member of Main.