c. 1960s

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

1968

Something a little different from Draper, though his appreciation for natural beauty is consistent.

Shawn Walker on Draper

Shawn Walker was one of the founding members of the Kamoinge Workshop with Draper in 1963. He was younger than many photographers in the group and in an article in Ten 8 Magazine (#24, 1987), Walker reminisces about the second Kamoinge meeting, where members were sharing examples of their work, and the impact Draper made on him:

“Lou Draper’s photographs of Blacks in the streets of Harlem showed their dignity, grace and sense of pride. His photographs were printed so well they were three-dimensional. I’d never seen such beautiful photographs of ordinary Black people.”

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Kamoinge was an important cultural force in Black arts and culture, the Civil Rights Movement, on forming what would be called “a Black aesthetic” previously unheard of, and as an influence on young photographers to this day. Much more will be discussed on Kamoinge going forward as we get a handle on all the documentation now at our disposal. So stay tuned! -AR

Kayar Island

A few more images from Draper’s visit to Senegal, West Africa in 1977 and 1978.

Draper and Langston Hughes

Louis Draper met Langston Hughes in 1961 when he became a tenant in Hughes’ brownstone in Harlem. Over time Hughes became a mentor to Draper, inroducing him to many artists and prominent contributors of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes often shared books on Black History, Africa and black culture with Draper. He also shared his insight and knowledge on writing which inspired Draper to pursue his own interest in writing screenplays.

Hughes’ experiences among the camaraderie of black writers and artists during the Harlem Renaissance possibly inspired Draper to take similar action toward creating an organization of black photographers that would promote their voices and work. Kamoinge was formed in 1963. (More to come on Kamoinge!)

(Thanks to Cheryl Pelt for her contributions to this post.)