Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power

Published in connection with the acclaimed exhibition of the same name organized by Tate Modern, this book shines a light on African American art in the period of radical change that was 1963–83.

Soul of a Nation surveys this crucial period in American art history, illuminating the histories of such 20th-century Black artists as Linda Goode Bryant, Susan E. Cahan, David Driskell, Edmund Barry Gaither, Jae Jarrell, Wadsworth Jarrell, Samella Lewis, Sam Gilliam, Melvin Edwards, Jack Whitten, William T. Williams, Howardina Pindell, Romare Bearden, David Hammons, Barkley L. Hendricks, Senga Nengudi, Noah Purifoy, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Charles White, and Frank Bowling.

The book explores the art historical and social contexts of black feminism, AFRICOBRA and other artist-run groups, the role of museums in debates of the period, and visual art's relation to the Black Arts Movement. It features substantial essays from Mark Godfrey and Zoe Whitley on abstraction and figuration, respectively, and over 170 artworks illustrated in full color.

Soul of a Nation was published in 2017, the 50th anniversary of the first use of the term “Black Power” by student activist Stokely Carmichael and the 50-year mark since the US Supreme Court overturned the prohibition of interracial marriage.