Emory Douglas
Encyclopedia
Emory Douglas worked as the Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party
from 1967 until the Party disbanded in the 1980s. His graphic art was featured in most issues of the newspaper The Black Panther (which had a peak circulation of 139,000 per week in 1970) and has become an iconic representation of the struggles of the Party during the 1960s and 70s. The San Francisco Chronicle
reported that Douglas "branded the militant-chic
Panther image decades before the concept became commonplace. He used the newspaper's popularity to incite the disenfranchised to action, portraying the poor with genuine empathy, not as victims but as outraged, unapologetic and ready for a fight."
As a teenager, Douglas was incarcerated at the Youth Training School in Ontario, California
; during his time there he worked in the prison’s printing shop. He later studied commercial art at San Francisco City College.
Colette Gaiter writes:
in Los Angeles
, California
curated an exhibit of Douglas' work entitled Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas in 2007-8 at the MOCA Pacific Design Center
.
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
from 1967 until the Party disbanded in the 1980s. His graphic art was featured in most issues of the newspaper The Black Panther (which had a peak circulation of 139,000 per week in 1970) and has become an iconic representation of the struggles of the Party during the 1960s and 70s. The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
reported that Douglas "branded the militant-chic
Radical chic
Radical chic is a term coined by journalist Tom Wolfe in his 1970 essay "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's," to describe the adoption and promotion of radical political causes by celebrities, socialites, and high society...
Panther image decades before the concept became commonplace. He used the newspaper's popularity to incite the disenfranchised to action, portraying the poor with genuine empathy, not as victims but as outraged, unapologetic and ready for a fight."
As a teenager, Douglas was incarcerated at the Youth Training School in Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
; during his time there he worked in the prison’s printing shop. He later studied commercial art at San Francisco City College.
Colette Gaiter writes:
MOCA Exhibit
The Museum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is a contemporary art museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near Walt Disney Concert Hall...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
curated an exhibit of Douglas' work entitled Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas in 2007-8 at the MOCA Pacific Design Center
Pacific Design Center
The Pacific Design Center, or PDC, is a multi-use facility for the design community located in West Hollywood, California. One of the buildings is often described as the Blue Whale because of its outsize nature relative to surrounding buildings and its brilliant blue glass cladding.-Site and...
.
External links
- Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas: Museum of Contemporary Art Exhibit (21 October 2007 - 24 February 2008).
- Historic limited edition fine art prints by Emory Douglas are available exclusively from Station 4.
- Extensive 2008 online interview with Emory Douglas @ www.com-raid.com .