HNRP

She captured history through her lens!

London photographer Nadine Ijewere made history as the first Black woman to shoot a cover for American Vogue, according to The Cut.

𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙, 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩, 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝟵𝟯
Faith Ringgold, the pioneering African American artist known for her vibrant story quilts, passed away at the age of 93 , at her home in Englewood, New Jersey. Born in Harlem, New York, in 1930, she grew up in a creative household where her mother taught her sewing and quilting—skills that would later define her signature artistic style. As a child, she struggled with asthma, which kept her indoors and fueled her imagination and creativity.
Ringgold began her career with traditional painting, but in the 1960s, she faced challenges gaining recognition in galleries that often overlooked African American artists. Her early works depicted daily life in Harlem and explored the social and political tensions of the era, most notably in her series “The American People”.
Her international fame came with the creation of “Story Quilts”, textile artworks that combine fabric, painting, and narrative text to tell stories about African American life, identity, history, and the empowerment of women. Among her most famous works are “Who’s Afraid of Aunt Jemima?”, which reimagined the stereotypical figure to challenge racial clichés, and “Tar Beach”, a story about a young girl dreaming of flying over the city, symbolizing freedom and aspiration.
Despite the barriers she faced as a Black woman in the art world, Ringgold continued to create and advocate through her art, leaving a profound impact on generations of African American and female artists. Her work is held in prestigious collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, ensuring her legacy endures as both a cultural and artistic beacon.
“Every piece of fabric tells a story… and every story can change the world.”

Amir Glazer, an event photographer, working with Peter Meagher reveals beautiful final photo of little Matilda before the horror attack began > https://bit.ly/4pJI7Fh

Paul McCartney's photos of early Beatlemania are in a book and on display in London NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Paul McCartney about his book of photographs from the time the Beatles first visited the United States.

Dorothea Lange, the influential documentary photographer and photojournalist, was born on this day in 1895. Lange is most widely known for her Great Depression-era work documenting the realities of life for poor and oft-forgotten Americans, and bringing their experiences into public awareness. Her talent resulted in a Guggenheim Fellowship for excellence in photography in 1941 making her the first woman to receive the honor. Her decades of work greatly influenced generations of documentary photographers.

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Lange’s journey as a photographer began as a college student and then an informal apprentice in New York City. By 1918 she had moved to San Francisco and established a successful portrait studio, catering to upper class clients. However, a cultural shift changed her course and led to her lasting fame as a documentary photographer.

At the start of the Great Depression, Lange began to focus her work on the unemployed and homeless people on the streets in San Francisco. Her powerful black-and-white images led to a position with the Federal Resettlement Administration, later called the Farm Security Administration, highlighting the plights of sharecroppers, migrant workers and other members of agricultural communities. Her striking photography brought awareness and humanity to marginalized groups across the nation, including the Dust Bowl migrants of the 1930s and the Japanese-American internees during World War II.

For adults who would like to learn more about her life and legacy, we highly recommend the award-winning biography, "Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits," which also includes more than 100 of her iconic images, at https://www.amightygirl.com/dorothea-lange

She is also the subject of a fascinating historical fiction novel for adult readers: "Learning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America" at https://www.amightygirl.com/learning-to-see

To share Dorothea Lange's inspiring story with kids, it's told in two excellent picture books: "Dorothea Lange" for ages 5 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/dorothea-lange-faces-of-depression) and "Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth," for ages 6 to 10 (https://www.amightygirl.com/dorothea-s-eyes)

There is also a picture book that tells the story of a family like the one featured in Lange's famous "Migrant Mother" photo, "Ruby's Hope," for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/ruby-s-hope

For Mighty Girl stories set during the Great Depression, we recommend "The Gardener" for ages 4 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-gardener), "Out of the Dust" for ages 9 to 13 (https://www.amightygirl.com/out-of-the-dust), "Someplace to Call Home" for 10 to 13 (https://www.amightygirl.com/someplace-to-call-home), and "Echo Mountain" for ages 10 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/echo-mountain)

The life and legacy of Native photographer Jennie Ross Cobb This Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting figures whose contributions have often gone unseen. Tonight, we look back at the work of Jennie Ross Cobb, the first known female Native American photographer, who captured personal images of her community.