For much of America's history, Black designers have been underrepresented, unrecognized, and unattributed despite excellence in other creative industries. Throughout February, we'll shine our light on just a few of the many talented Black designers in US history. 🧵 #LoveToSeeIt
We encourage Black designers across all disciplines to share your own story in our thread.
Likely the first Black woman to ever be credited with designing an album cover, Sylvia (Laini) Abernathy's legacy started in the 60s but remains strong in the present. Chicago's "Wall of Respect", which was designed by Abernathy, continues to inspire communities across the world. 
"Her keen typographic eye and deft use of abstraction and contrast made her work stand out from long-established, formulaic styles, and a quick listen to any album reveals her natural talent for translating the unique sound of each musician into a graphic form." – @florencefu
@florencefu In 1987, Cheryl D. Miller wrote “Black Designers: Missing in Action” for @printmag. Over 30 years later, the powerful and poignant article is still relevant. After the article, she went on to open her own successful design firm before becoming a clergywoman.
"Like it or not, the community needs diversity practitioners, and those that can compete will be wealthy. And when I say wealthy — well roundedness: mind, body, and soul." – Cheryl D. Miller
You can read Cheryl D. Miller's “Black Designers: Missing in Action” article here: printmag.com/design-culture…
Grandson of an escaped slave, Georg Olden was an internationally celebrated designer and executive in a time of few Black execs. He designed graphics for many of @CBS's most popular shows in the 1950s, and in 1963, became the first African American to design a postage stamp.
"In 1945, before Jackie Robinson played Major League Baseball, or Marian Anderson sang at the Metropolitan Opera, Georg Olden, the grandson of a slave, took a job with CBS." – Julie Lasky
Gail Anderson is a force in the world of typography and design. She's well known for her eye-catching work for @RollingStone and @broadwaycom. Gail also followed in Georg Olden's footsteps with her postage stamp design for the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
"During the early digital '90s when typography was alternately under- and over-adorned, Anderson exacted the right balance with compositions that were elegant yet muscular, and, more importantly, surprising and delightful." – Steven Heller
Cey Adams is a designer and living legend in hip-hop and beyond. Instrumental in many of @defjam's early album covers, merch, logos, advertisements, and much more, Cey's impact on American culture as a whole cannot be understated.
"I made a lot of mistakes, but I also had support from a handful of artists, marketing people, and record company people who were coming from the same perspective — taking this African American art form and turning it into something positive." – Cey Adams
Sylvia Harris was a @VCU- and @Yale-educated designer that made waves in the public sector and beyond. She co-founded @TwoTwelveNYC in 1980 and later her own firm. On top of this, she taught and mentored at multiple universities.
"As a designer and a woman, Sylvia Harris always wanted to do the right thing, the smart thing, the thing that would make the biggest difference to the most people. She was the model citizen — a Citizen Designer." – David Gibson
As the Revolutionary Artist and Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, Emory Douglas's work reached over one hundred thousand newspaper readers at its peak. To combat low literacy rates in poor communities, he embraced bold imagery, encouraging unity and enlightenment.
"Most popular media represents middle- to upper-class people as “normal.” Douglas was the Norman Rockwell of the ghetto, concentrating on the poor and oppressed ... He maintained poor people’s dignity while graphically illustrating harsh situations." – @cgaiter
@cgaiter By designing for the first black-owned ad agency and later co-founding the largest such agency at the time, @Burrell_Comm, Emmett McBain created an esteemed legacy. His bold work showed the divided national audience of the civil rights movement that Black is beautiful.
"Emmett liked to do things to excess, which could be a problem for other people. I think he felt it necessary to keep pushing the boundaries in order to prove there were no limits or to discover the limits for his art." – Barbara Mahone
From working for America's biggest newspapers and magazines to teaching at @FIT to opening up her own design firm, @culturalboundar has made an indelible mark on the design industry. Still actively designing, she aims to work on projects shaping “the future of cities”.
“Teaching has been particularly rewarding, though the idea of a rigidly structured syllabus makes Washington shudder. She prefers to view the classroom as an idea lab. ‘I want students to walk out knowing how to think.’ ” – @AngelaRiechers
@AngelaRiechers If you have any level of familiarity with Black cinema, you have likely seen the work of @artsims. Through his firm that caters specifically to African-American audiences, 11:24 Design, he's collaborated with Steven Spielberg, John Singleton, Spike Lee, and more.
"I love doing work for and about African Americans. I feel I am reshaping history to show our beauty." – Art Sims
It's difficult to summarize a full life's work in 280 characters. We encourage you to continue your education on these powerful figures and additional Black designers of the present and past.
If you're ever in the Chicago area, the @DuSableMuseum is an excellent venue to view the work of Black designers. If that isn't possible, @AIGAdesign has compiled a treasure trove of history.
