Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold transformed the American quilt — a domestic craft traditionally associated with women's labor — into one of the most powerful storytelling mediums in contemporary art. Her painted story quilts, which combine acrylic painting, quilted fabric borders, and narrative text, hang in the most prestigious museums in the world and have inspired millions of children through her beloved book Tar Beach.

Born in Harlem in 1930, Ringgold grew up surrounded by the neighborhood's creative energy. Her mother was a fashion designer who taught her to work with fabric; the Harlem Renaissance was the backdrop of her childhood. She earned her degrees from City College of New York and began her career as an art teacher in public schools while developing her own practice.

In the 1960s and 70s, Ringgold was a fierce activist for the inclusion of Black artists and women in major museums. She co-founded Where We At, a collective of Black women artists, and organized protests at the Whitney Museum and Museum of Modern Art. Her 1991 children's book Tar Beach, based on her story quilt of the same name, won a Caldecott Honor and introduced her vision to a new generation.