Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful

Dimensions

11 in x 8.75 in x 0.75 in

Weight

2.15 lb

Released

5/1/19

ISBN

9781597114431

Published by

Aperture

Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful

Discover the transformative power of Kwame Brathwaite's photography with Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful.

This groundbreaking monograph, the first ever dedicated to Brathwaite's illustrious career, explores the life and work of a pivotal yet under-recognized figure of the second Harlem Renaissance.

In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, Brathwaite used his lens to popularize the empowering political slogan "Black Is Beautiful".

Inspired by activist and black nationalist Marcus Garvey, Brathwaite, alongside his brother Elombe Brath, founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) and the Grandassa Models in 1962.

AJASS was a vibrant collective of artists, playwrights, designers, and dancers, while Grandassa Models was a groundbreaking modeling troupe created to challenge prevailing white beauty standards.

Featuring stunning studio portraits of the Grandassa Models and behind-the-scenes glimpses of Harlem's dynamic artistic community, including legends like Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, and Miles Davis, this book provides an essential and long-overdue look at Brathwaite's influential body of work.

Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful is a must-have for anyone interested in the history of photography, the Harlem Renaissance, and the celebration of black beauty and culture.