Iconic Photographer Behind 'Black is Beautiful' Movement Passes Away at 85
Kwame Brathwaite, a trailblazing activist and photographer whose work played a pivotal role in shaping the aesthetics of the "Black is Beautiful" movement of the 1960s, has passed away at the age of 85. Born in Brooklyn in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants, Brathwaite's family moved frequently during his childhood before settling in Harlem.
The turning point that drew him into photography came in August 1955, when he encountered David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in his open casket. This experience profoundly influenced Brathwaite's approach to capturing the essence and spirit of Black culture through his lens. By the early 1960s, alongside his co-founders at African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS), Brathwaite began using photography as a powerful tool to challenge and redefine beauty standards.
Through his work with AJASS, Brathwaite came up with the concept of the Grandassa Models, young Black women he would photograph, celebrating and accentuating their features. The first major institutional retrospective of Brathwaite's work was organized by Aperture Foundation in 2019 and toured across the United States.
Over the years, Brathwaite went on to document jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and many others. His focus shifted to other forms of popular Black music by the 1970s, including photographing Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Bob Marley, and more.
Throughout his career, Brathwaite continued to explore and develop his approach to photography, maintaining a strong commitment to the "Black is Beautiful" ethos. He recently photographed artist and stylist Joanne Petit-Frère for The New Yorker in 2018 and was set to join Philip Martin Gallery's roster in Los Angeles.
A separate exhibition, "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For," is currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago until July 24.
Kwame Brathwaite, a trailblazing activist and photographer whose work played a pivotal role in shaping the aesthetics of the "Black is Beautiful" movement of the 1960s, has passed away at the age of 85. Born in Brooklyn in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants, Brathwaite's family moved frequently during his childhood before settling in Harlem.
The turning point that drew him into photography came in August 1955, when he encountered David Jackson's haunting photograph of Emmett Till in his open casket. This experience profoundly influenced Brathwaite's approach to capturing the essence and spirit of Black culture through his lens. By the early 1960s, alongside his co-founders at African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS), Brathwaite began using photography as a powerful tool to challenge and redefine beauty standards.
Through his work with AJASS, Brathwaite came up with the concept of the Grandassa Models, young Black women he would photograph, celebrating and accentuating their features. The first major institutional retrospective of Brathwaite's work was organized by Aperture Foundation in 2019 and toured across the United States.
Over the years, Brathwaite went on to document jazz legends such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and many others. His focus shifted to other forms of popular Black music by the 1970s, including photographing Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Bob Marley, and more.
Throughout his career, Brathwaite continued to explore and develop his approach to photography, maintaining a strong commitment to the "Black is Beautiful" ethos. He recently photographed artist and stylist Joanne Petit-Frère for The New Yorker in 2018 and was set to join Philip Martin Gallery's roster in Los Angeles.
A separate exhibition, "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For," is currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago until July 24.
he was literally one of those people who saw beauty in blackness and turned it into this whole movement that's still influencing artists today i feel like his legacy is what makes me want to create stuff with my own camera, you know? like, how can we represent ourselves in a way that's not just about our flaws but about our strengths too? brathwaite was all about celebrating those moments of strength and beauty in black culture... it's pretty inspiring 
. Now we gotta make sure he's remembered as more than just a footnote in history 
I'm so sad to hear that Kwame Brathwaite has passed away... he was such an amazing photographer and his work was so influential in shaping our understanding of Black beauty and culture 
. I mean, can you even imagine a world without the beautiful images he captured? And what's crazy is that some people might not even know who he was or the impact he had on photography history 
. I feel like we're losing a piece of history and it's really sad 
. But at the same time, I'm glad that his work is still being celebrated and exhibited around the world 
... like this amazing exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago right now 
. It's so cool to see how his legacy lives on through his art 
.
[GIF of a camera shutter clicking] he was more than just a photographer, he was a activist 
#RIPKwameBrathwaite
kwame brathwaite was like a legend behind the black is beautiful movement and his photography is still giving us life today 
he captured some of the most iconic moments in jazz history and gave a voice to black culture that wasn't being represented elsewhere it's crazy to think about all the influential people he photographed over the years from miles davis to stevie wonder 
i mean can you imagine growing up seeing only whitened versions of black beauty? brathwaite changed that, no question about it 
and we still get to enjoy his work today 
my grandma used to show me some of his pics from back in the day and i can see why they were so impactful 
brathwaite's work still inspires me today, especially when it comes to redefining traditional notions of beauty 
. His legacy will live on through his work and I'm sure we'll see many more exhibitions showcasing his amazing photography. We're gonna miss him though 
it's crazy to think that he started taking pics back in the 60s and then went on to capture legends like Miles Davis and Nina Simone what a legacy! I wish more people knew about his work before he passed away 
. It's crazy to think he was still working until 2018, creating new content for The New Yorker 
. I'm so grateful we got to see his life's work on display at the Art Institute of Chicago 
. and can we talk about his work with jazz legends? 
i mean, the man knew how to capture some serious talent.
we drove all the way to the beach and saw some epic sunsets I'm still on a vibes high from it... anyway, kwame brathwaite's work is so inspiring you know how he used photography to challenge beauty standards? that's something i've always been passionate about too, like when i see someone rocking a bold outfit or an edgy haircut and i'm all about it 
. we still live in a world where people are constantly tryin' to conform to these unattainable standards of 'beauty', but Brathwaite showed us that our true beauty lies in embracing who we are, flaws and all 