Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) the legendary civil rights activist would have been 100 years old this year. While many people know of her role as catalyst of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and as an icon of the Civil Rights Movement, many people are not aware that her career as anContinue reading “African American History Month – Rosa Parks”
Tag Archives: african american history
Another Thurgood Marshall Sketch
5.5″ x 8″ pen and markers In the past I’ve occasionally posted some drawings for Black History Month. Since it’s that time again, I thought it might be fun to revisit some old subjects. Back in 2010 I did a sketch of a young Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993), the firstContinue reading “Another Thurgood Marshall Sketch”
African American History Month: Bessie Coleman
4″ x 5.5″ pen and markers Bessie Coleman (1892 – 1926) was the first woman to earn an International Aviation License and the first African-American licensed pilot. Born in Texas, Bessie was the 10th of 13 children. Unhappy with small town life in Texas, she moved to Chicago in 1915 to join her brother andContinue reading “African American History Month: Bessie Coleman”
African American History Month: Thurgood Marshall
© 2010 Mellanie Collins February is African American History Month, so I thought I’d work on a few drawings of people whose stories inspired me when I was growing up. Here’s a drawing of a young Thurgood Marshall. The grandson of a slave, he became the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. He served from 1967Continue reading “African American History Month: Thurgood Marshall”
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Others
Rev. Jesse Jackson was the second African America to run for the Democratic presidential nomination. A civil rights activist, and Baptist minister, he ran twice in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he was pretty much written off as a fringe candidate. Therefore, it was quite a surprise when he came in third in the nominationContinue reading “Rev. Jesse Jackson and Others”
Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed and Unbought
This year’s race for the U.S. Democratic nomination has been interesting to watch and it got me thinking about the other African American candidates of the past. Interesting enough, they have all run during my lifetime. I decided to work on ink portraits of each candidate as way to practice my technique. I’m no historian,Continue reading “Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed and Unbought”
Mellanie Collins, Artist 