Such wild, audacious healers

Quotes and Black Art | Thursdaysº

Jafari Joseph

May 14, 2026

Quotes and Black Art

Your Curated Art Museum

“Come for the art, stay for the quotes.”

“They felt that it was much easier and safer to rob their own people, for they knew that white policemen never really searched diligently for Negroes who committed crimes against other Negroes.”

— Richard Wright, Native Son, 1940

A Snippet:

Did you know that given an unfortunate blend of race and membership within the communist party (between 1932-1942), the FBI monitored and investigated Richard Wright, keeping over 169 pages of surveillance files on the famous author (and other notable Black artists) in an attempt to divide-and-conquer?

Learn more . . .

Quotes and Black Art

Thursday, May 14, 2026 (Edition 51)

151. “Love & Flowers & Black Beauty” by Lilada Gee

Abused at a young age, Lilada Gee (b. 1965), via her own healing journey, developed an unyielding passion to help Black girl victims of sexual abuse reclaim their spirits, minds, and bodies and ultimately heal from its devastating effects, on the importance of rebuilding Black families:

“I’m real committed to gathering us back together. When they took us out of Africa, they took us everywhere. And unfortunately (along the diaspora) some of us have forgotten that we are family. I just have this heart to bring us back together.”
- Lilada Gee

152. “Sparrow” (2011) by Whitfield Lovell

Bronx, New York, contemporary artist Whitfield Lovell (b. 1959)—known for using old photographs for inspiration and as source material for his works—on the often circular nature of life’s journey:

“What’s interesting is that a lot of times you go through a journey, then end up back where you started.”
- Whitfield Lovell

153. “Glad You Dead You Rascal You” (c. 1990) by Herbert Singleton

New Orleans artist Herbert Singleton (1945 - 2007)—who was born in the district of Algiers, and started making carvings in the 1970s on discarded doors, cabinets, and driftwood found on the banks of the Mississippi River—on finding treasure in unusual places:

“When the river was low, I would find a plank of wood to carve. I would look at it and wonder if someone’s life had fell apart.”
- Herbert Singleton

Is any among you sick? Let them call upon the elders (for healing)

Taurean Birthdays!

(April 20th - May 20th)

May 10 - Henry Walton Bibb (famous abolitionist)
May 11 - Louis Farrakhan
May 12 - Kim Fields
May 13 - Stevie Wonder
May 14 - Mark Zuckerberg / George Lucas (today)!
May 16 - Janet Jackson
May 16 - Ralph Tresvant

(Breathe In . . . Breathe Out)