7 Black Designers You Should Know About
One of the magical things about being a designer is having a voice. However, taking a look at the design industry as a whole, 76.1% of those voices are white and only 3.5% of the voices are from black creatives. That gap is astounding.
When we look at design history books, we see Eurocentric covered pages with names, photos, and pieces of work. These books ultimately set the standard in student’s minds on what “good design” looks like. The books that influence our outlook on the design world lack representation and voices from influential designers of color who played crucial parts in shaping that said design world.
It’s no secret that black designers are overlooked and under-applauded. It’s time to change that reality by learning their names, recognizing their work and teaching the new generation of designers that ‘good design’ is more expansive than what a design history textbook can hold.
Born in 1954 in Detroit, Michigan, Art Sims has made an impact in the design industry through his African-American film posters. Sims has dedicated his career to making African-American art and culture more visible. He is the founder and CEO of 11:24 Designs based in Los Angeles.
Born in 1962 in Bronx, New York, Gail Anderson has not only made history as an African-American designer but also a female designer. She specializes in theatrical advertising and is well-versed in editorial, book covers and type design. Not only is Anderson a designer, she is also a teacher, co-author, award winner and is currently a board member for the Type Directors Club. See her portfolio here: https://gailycurl.com.
Born in 1943 in Clewiston, Florida, Archie Boston is considered one of the leading design pioneers. Boston is known for his provoking work depicting life as a black designer in the 60s + 70s. He was the first African-American recipient of the AIGA Fellows Award and his work has been featured in international exhibitions including “Best Graphics of the 20th Century.”
South side Chicago Native, Mia Lee is an illustrator, textile designer, animator, muralist and so much more. She is known for her cartoonist style and surrealist references. Lee is committed to breaking the boundaries of what femininity looks like in street art and fashion.
Check out her portfolio here: https://www.hotfunmia.com.
Born in Topeka, Kansas in 1899, Aaron Douglas found his way to New York in the 1920s to play a leading part in the Harlem Renaissance. He combined his love for modernism and cubism art to create illustrations that brought light to African heritage.
Nigerian-born and Brooklyn-based visual artists, Olaekan B. Jeyifous, isn’t afraid to take up space with his large-scale installations. Having a background in architecture, Jeyifous re-imagines social spaces to make statements about African American communities and the environment.
You can find his portfolio here: https://jeyifo.us.
A pioneer in the social impact space, Sylvia Harris grew up in Richmond, Virginia during the 1950s. As a designer and strategist, Harris played an influential role in setting the standard for human-centered design along with solving problems for the nation’s largest institutions. Because of her dedication to making the world a better place, AIGA created an award in honor of her memory called the Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award to recognize other designers enhancing public life.