Veteran photographer and civil rights activist Kwame Brathwaite has passed away at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy of powerful images that captured the essence of the Black is Beautiful movement. Born in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants in New York, Brathwaite's early life was marked by a sense of displacement and cultural identity, which he would later channel into his work.
It was during his teenage years that Brathwaite became captivated by photography after witnessing David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in an open casket. He also found inspiration in seeing another young photographer working without flash at a jazz club, sparking his imagination about the potential of photography to capture and convey emotion.
Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Brathwaite honed his craft as a photographer, initially focusing on jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and other notable musicians of the time. He also co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS), where he began to utilize his photography skills to push back against Eurocentric beauty standards that dominated media.
A pivotal moment came in 1962 when AJASS organized "Naturally '62," a fashion show featuring young Black women, including Brathwaite's future wife, Sikolo. The event aimed to celebrate and highlight the natural beauty of African American women, which became a defining element of the Black is Beautiful movement.
As a photographer, Brathwaite continued to explore various styles and subjects, from documenting the historic "Rumble in the Jungle" boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman to capturing iconic images of musicians like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley.
Over the years, his work garnered international attention, with solo exhibitions at institutions such as the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas.
Despite struggling with health issues that limited his mobility, Brathwaite remained committed to his art until the end. In 2019, his first major institutional retrospective was unveiled at the Aperture Foundation's Skirball Cultural Center, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career.
It was during his teenage years that Brathwaite became captivated by photography after witnessing David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in an open casket. He also found inspiration in seeing another young photographer working without flash at a jazz club, sparking his imagination about the potential of photography to capture and convey emotion.
Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Brathwaite honed his craft as a photographer, initially focusing on jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and other notable musicians of the time. He also co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS), where he began to utilize his photography skills to push back against Eurocentric beauty standards that dominated media.
A pivotal moment came in 1962 when AJASS organized "Naturally '62," a fashion show featuring young Black women, including Brathwaite's future wife, Sikolo. The event aimed to celebrate and highlight the natural beauty of African American women, which became a defining element of the Black is Beautiful movement.
As a photographer, Brathwaite continued to explore various styles and subjects, from documenting the historic "Rumble in the Jungle" boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman to capturing iconic images of musicians like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley.
Over the years, his work garnered international attention, with solo exhibitions at institutions such as the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas.
Despite struggling with health issues that limited his mobility, Brathwaite remained committed to his art until the end. In 2019, his first major institutional retrospective was unveiled at the Aperture Foundation's Skirball Cultural Center, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career.
. like, i get it, he lived a long time and accomplished a lot, but can we please just focus on the images instead of all the extraneous info? 85 is old, even for someone who's been making art all their life. my grandma was still taking photos with film back in the day 
. and what's up with the way they're presenting this story? it feels like a bunch of press releases strung together without any real depth or analysis. where are the behind-the-scenes stories? how did the images get taken? what happened during those fashion shows? let's not just gloss over the process, you know?
... photography can be so much more than just capturing moments it's about telling stories and sharing the world with others and kwame brathwaite did that with such passion and heart... the way he celebrated black beauty and culture is something we still need to talk about today 
... his work wasnt just for black people but for anyone who's ever felt like they didnt fit in or werent good enough 
... anyway i think we should keep his legacy alive by keeping pushing forward with love and kindness 
its sad news, but he left behind some amazing pics that spoke to me - like those black is beautiful movement photos from '62 they were way ahead of their time 
, i mean who doesnt love miles davis? his work was all about humanizing ppl & giving voice to the voiceless, that's something we still need today 
by his work!!! The way he used photography as a platform to showcase Black beauty & challenge Eurocentric norms is so inspiring 
. His legacy lives on through the Black is Beautiful movement, which still resonates today 
. Can't believe he passed away at 85, leaving behind an incredible body of work that continues to captivate audiences worldwide 
. As a photographer myself, I'm in awe of his skills & dedication to his craft 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, he was an awesome photographer and all that... but is it really necessary to celebrate him for his work on the Black is Beautiful movement? It's like we're trying to make a big deal out of something that was already happening naturally. And those fashion shows in the '60s were just a bunch of people looking good, right? 
I'm not saying he wasn't talented or anything, but is his legacy really worth all the hype? 
. I mean, can you imagine growing up with that sense of displacement and finding your voice through photography? it's truly inspiring 
. His dedication to his art, even when it came at a personal cost, is something we can all admire 
. RIP Kwame 
he had an amazing life and left behind so many incredible images that still inspire me today 
. I mean, we've seen a lot of photography exhibitions in recent years, so it feels like every other week someone's having their first major retrospective 
his legacy will live on forever though, keeping it real and showing everyone what beauty looks like 
. He was like the OG photographer, capturing jazz legends and pushing back against all those Eurocentric beauty standards 
. And then he started "Naturally '62" which was basically a revolution for Black women's empowerment 
. I feel like his work still inspires people today, it's crazy how that one fashion show in 1962 made such a big impact 
. Anyway, the man lived a full life and left us with some incredible pics, so let's give it up for Kwame Brathwaite 
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this is crazy, Kwame Brathwaite passed away at 85 and he left behind so much, I mean have you seen those pics of Nina Simone? 