Draze was born to win. " Born to Win " is the title of his latest single, but it is also the truth of his life. Born Dumisani Maraire Jr., he is the son of two renowned master performers of the Shona culture of Zimbabwe. His father Abraham Dumisani Maraire Sr. is known for introducing mbira music to North America with numerous recordings to his credit in addition to having been a legendary teacher of the Shona music and culture at the University of Washington and Evergreen

Take a stroll through the Englewood neighborhood in the South Side of Chicago and you'll encounter abandoned homes in various states of disrepair. Artist Tonika Lewis Johnson found herself wondering exactly how these lots came to be and her research brought her to Land Sale Contracts, made popular in the 1950s and 60s when Black homeowners were shut out of the traditional homebuying market. Offered what were essentially "rent-to-own" contracts for getting into their first ho

Former NFL Football linebacker Keith Rivers has put down his helmet and taken up the mantle of art curator. A collector since 2010, Rivers recently curated a show at the New York Flag Art Foundation Chelsea Arts Tower, open now through June 4th, titled Courage Before Expectation. " This exhibition is an extension of my interest in having conversations with artists, and sharing, through my eyes and theirs, how talent, perseverance, and trusting the process will get you where

Owning the narrative of Black history can be a complex struggle. The threat of erasure always looms large, as ownership and documentation have largely been outside of Black control. That script is being re-written as two archival projects are underway to secure our history, particularly that of Black creatives. In the annals of Black history, Baltimore, Maryland holds a high place. Both Frederick Douglas and Thurgood Marshall hailed from Baltimore. It is the birthplace of jaz

ACES returns in April! The Artists of Color Expo & Symposium (ACES) is a BIPOC-led, community-curated program featuring art exhibits , live performances , presentations , workshops , film screenings , artist talks , and artist opportunity tables . The event offers space to come together with intentionality to value each other's work and see one another as resources while focusing on the challenges and solutions artists of color face in the Pacific Northwest. The 2022 line-up

Unprecedented for her time, in the late 1800s, Edmonia Lewis was the first sculptor of African American and Native American descent to achieve recognition both at home and abroad. Born to a Haitian father and Chippewa mother, Edmonia was orphaned at a young age and spent her childhood living with her mother's tribe. In her early twenties, she made her way to Massachusetts and came to meet the renowned sculptor Edward Brackett, with whom she eventually began studying sculptur

Opens at the Mississippi Museum of Art on April 9th Being of African descent and descendants of stolen Africans, the quest to find ‘home’ is often a lifelong journey. A more attainable journey, however, is one that grants us the opportunity to trace our family’s migration within the continental United States. What is known as The Great Migration occurred in two phases between the 1910s and the 1970s and saw approximately six million Black people move from the American South

This month, the spotlight is on the Black Future Co-op Fund and their support of Black-woman-led organizations throughout Washington state that are serving their communities through arts, culture, restorative healing, educational innovation, policy development, and more. ARTE NOIR is pleased to announce that we are among the 21 recent grant recipients. The latest round of We See You grants was created by the Fund in celebration of Black-woman-led organizations and in acknow

The son of Ghanaian immigrants, Virgil Abloh was a trailblazing artist, architect, engineer, designer, DJ, husband, and father, as well as Louis Vuitton Men's Artistic Director, up until his untimely passing at the age of 41 in November 2021. He continued to work even while privately battling an aggressive form of cancer, including taking on a project to design Nike Air Force 1s for Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2022 collection. The design was also in celebration of the icon

If you have not yet seen the first season of the Netflix series Made By Design , it’s not too late. The series shines a light on thirteen architects and designers who live and work in Nigeria. The 13-part series was created and co-produced by Design Week Lagos founder Titi Ogufere and co-produced by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Abiola Matesun. Lagos has long held a prominent place in creativity among African countries including the fame of being home to the Kalakuta Republi

Fate and destiny have a means of beautifully colliding in ways that can make one’s head spin. As this publication is the result of years-long contemplation, the fate of having this come to fruition, is as majestic as the destiny that is resulting in a dream space to bring physical resonance to our goal of spotlighting Black art and culture! Our vision for a physical space at Midtown, in the heart of Seattle’s historic Black community, draws near fruition and is set for openin

The Preis der Nationalgalerie, a biennial award established in 2000, honors German contemporary artists under the age of 40 whose work reflects the international and lively nature of the German art scene. The 2021 recipient Sandra Mujinga was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is based in Berlin and Oslo. Mujinga creates within a broad spectrum of media and art, including music, sculpture, video, photography, and installations, many of which are inspired by d

Last month, the renowned Metropolitan Opera performed Fire Shut Up In My Bones , composed by Terrence Blanchard with libretto by Kasi Lemmons. This marked the first time The Met has performed an opera by a Black composer in their 141-year history! This event made headlines. Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, another Black composer was making their own headlines. Critically acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Darrell Grant premiered his site-specific jazz chamber opera, Sanctua

Racial identity has recently resurfaced in discussion, literature, and film. Two popular works explore the concept of “passing;” one in a contemporary setting, and one that first emerged in the 1920s. New York Times bestselling author Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half was selected as the 2021 Seattle Reads choice. This citywide book group, offered by the Seattle Public Library Foundation, is an opportunity for people to read and discuss the same book. Bennett’s novel is cent

Profile of Harlem Arts Salon founders Margaret Porter Troupe and Quincy Troup

Tedde Gibson, the Mighty Wurlitzer Organist

“Once I found myself on the other side of the ocean, I could see where I came from very clear…You can never escape that. I am the grandson of a slave, and I am a writer. I must deal with both.” - James Baldwin Thanks to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, their Chez Baldwin virtual exhibit allows a deeper glimpse into James Baldwin, the person. The exhibit is an exploration of Baldwin’s life and works through the lens of his house in St

Fate and destiny have a means of beautifully colliding in ways that can make one’s head spin. As this publication is the result of years-long contemplation, the fate of having this come to fruition, is as majestic as the destiny that is resulting in a dream space to bring physical resonance to our goal of spotlighting Black art and culture! Our vision for a physical space at Midtown, in the heart of Seattle’s historic Black community, draws near fruition and is set for openin

The Preis der Nationalgalerie, a biennial award established in 2000, honors German contemporary artists under the age of 40 whose work reflects the international and lively nature of the German art scene. The 2021 recipient Sandra Mujinga was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is based in Berlin and Oslo. Mujinga creates within a broad spectrum of media and art, including music, sculpture, video, photography, and installations, many of which are inspired by d

Last month, the renowned Metropolitan Opera performed Fire Shut Up In My Bones , composed by Terrence Blanchard with libretto by Kasi Lemmons. This marked the first time The Met has performed an opera by a Black composer in their 141-year history! This event made headlines. Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, another Black composer was making their own headlines. Critically acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Darrell Grant premiered his site-specific jazz chamber opera, Sanctua