Renowned Photographer and Activist Kwame Brathwaite Passes Away at 85
Kwame Brathwaite, a pioneering photographer and activist who played a pivotal role in shaping the "Black is Beautiful" movement of the 1960s and beyond, has passed away at the age of 85. Brathwaite's work was met with increasing interest from curators, historians, and collectors in recent years, culminating in his first major institutional retrospective at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in 2019.
Born to Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn in 1938, Brathwaite grew up surrounded by cultural diversity. He attended the School of Industrial Art (now the High School of Art and Design) and was drawn to photography through two pivotal moments: witnessing David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in open casket in 1955, and seeing a young photographer capturing images without flash in a dark jazz club in 1956. This exposure sparked his passion for documentary photography.
Throughout the 1960s, Brathwaite co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) with his brother Elombe. The group's focus on pushing back against Eurocentric beauty standards led to the creation of the Grandassa Models, young Black women whom Brathwaite would photograph celebrating their natural features. In 1962, AJASS organized "Naturally '62," a fashion show that would go on to be held regularly until 1992.
Brathwaite's photography career spanned several decades and included collaborations with jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone. His work continued to explore themes of Black beauty and identity throughout his life.
In recent years, Brathwaite's focus shifted to other forms of popular Black music, including documenting the Jackson Five's tour in Africa in 1974 and photographing iconic figures such as Muhammad Ali. Despite health issues that made it difficult for him to be interviewed, Brathwaite remained committed to his craft, with his most recent exhibition, "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For," currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Through his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to showcasing Black beauty and identity, Kwame Brathwaite left an indelible mark on the world of photography and beyond. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of artists, activists, and advocates for social justice.
Kwame Brathwaite, a pioneering photographer and activist who played a pivotal role in shaping the "Black is Beautiful" movement of the 1960s and beyond, has passed away at the age of 85. Brathwaite's work was met with increasing interest from curators, historians, and collectors in recent years, culminating in his first major institutional retrospective at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in 2019.
Born to Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn in 1938, Brathwaite grew up surrounded by cultural diversity. He attended the School of Industrial Art (now the High School of Art and Design) and was drawn to photography through two pivotal moments: witnessing David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in open casket in 1955, and seeing a young photographer capturing images without flash in a dark jazz club in 1956. This exposure sparked his passion for documentary photography.
Throughout the 1960s, Brathwaite co-founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) with his brother Elombe. The group's focus on pushing back against Eurocentric beauty standards led to the creation of the Grandassa Models, young Black women whom Brathwaite would photograph celebrating their natural features. In 1962, AJASS organized "Naturally '62," a fashion show that would go on to be held regularly until 1992.
Brathwaite's photography career spanned several decades and included collaborations with jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone. His work continued to explore themes of Black beauty and identity throughout his life.
In recent years, Brathwaite's focus shifted to other forms of popular Black music, including documenting the Jackson Five's tour in Africa in 1974 and photographing iconic figures such as Muhammad Ali. Despite health issues that made it difficult for him to be interviewed, Brathwaite remained committed to his craft, with his most recent exhibition, "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For," currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Through his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to showcasing Black beauty and identity, Kwame Brathwaite left an indelible mark on the world of photography and beyond. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of artists, activists, and advocates for social justice.
85 is such a young age to leave this world behind I think it's amazing that Kwame Brathwaite was able to live his life with purpose and create so much meaningful content throughout his decades-long career as a photographer & activist he had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented individuals from various genres of music which added to his diverse body of work
he was a total legend in my eyes! i mean have u seen his pics? they're like... wow! the way he captured those Black jazz musicians back in the day? 
it's like you can feel the vibe and the passion through his lens. and the way he used photography to challenge all those Eurocentric beauty standards? 
bravo, kwame, bravo! i remember when i saw that first major retrospective at skirball cultural center in 2019... my heart was literally bursting with joy 
it's amazing how his work is still being celebrated and appreciated today. what a legacy! 
just heard about Kwame Brathwaite's passing at 85. what a legend! i mean, can u believe he lived through all that? from seeing Emmett Till's open casket pic to documenting Muhammad Ali... his work is so iconic 
just heard about kwame brathwaite's passing at 85 
my heart goes out to his family & loved ones. what a legend! i remember learning about the "black is beautiful" movement in school & how kwame's work was a huge part of that. his pics of black models celebrating their natural features were so ahead of its time 
it's crazy to think about how much impact he had on the art world & beyond. and can we talk about his collabs with jazz legends? 
anyway, kwame's legacy lives on through his work & the countless artists, activists & advocates he inspired throughout his life 
What's up with all the nostalgia about Kwame Brathwaite's passing? I mean don't get me wrong, he was definitely a pioneer in his field, but 85 is old. Did he have any notable health issues that we're not being told about? 
Also, what makes "Black is Beautiful" movement so special? Is it just another case of the art world co-opting something that already exists within Black communities? 
I need some sources on this one before I can fully get on board. 
I'm so sad to hear about Kwame Brathwaite's passing... he was a total legend in his own right! 
85 is old, but considering all the amazing work he did, it's crazy he made it this far. His photography career spanned like, decades and he got to collab with some of the biggest jazz legends out there... I mean, can you even imagine having a photo shoot with Miles Davis? 
his work had such an impact on the way people think about beauty and identity it's so sad that he passed away but his legacy will live on through all the amazing artists and activists he inspired 
I'm loving how much attention his photography is getting now, especially after that major retrospective in 2019 
i'm definitely checking out his latest exhibition at the art institute of chicago 
but have you seen his work with the Jackson Five? That's some weird connections to make 
I mean, he was documenting them right around the time they're becoming super famous. What's the real story behind that? Was it just a coincidence or is there something more to it? 
i always felt so connected to those images, you know? anyway, i'm gonna have to go dig out my old albums of grandassa models soon... that was one of my fave projects from him 
his pics of the grandassa models are iconic and celebrate black beauty in all its forms 
i wish more people knew about him, especially young ppl who need to see themselves reflected in the media 
. 85 is old, I guess it's impressive he lasted this long. but let's be real, he was probably just coasting on his legacy at this point 
. and don't even get me started on the "Naturally '62" thing... just another excuse to get a bunch of young black women in front of a camera and call it art 
. but let's not forget, he was 85 when he died... that's like, ancient 
. anyway, i guess the world is a little less ugly now without him...