Blanch Ackers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blanch Ackers
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| Born | November 28, 1914 |
| Died | May 24, 2003 |
Blanch Ackers (November 28, 1914 – May 24, 2003) was an American folk artist. She was born in Arkansas but lived most of her life in Michigan. Blanch started drawing and painting when she was over 70 years old. Her amazing artwork is now part of the University of Michigan Museum of Art collection.
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Her Early Life in Arkansas
Blanch Ackers was born in 1914 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Her parents were Paul and Harriet Markham. Paul was a sharecropper, which means he farmed land owned by someone else and paid rent with a share of his crops. Blanch had one brother named James Markham.
Moving to Michigan
In 1943, Blanch moved to the Detroit area with her brother. This was part of a big movement called the Great Migration. Many African Americans moved from the Southern states to the North for better jobs and opportunities. Blanch worked in a factory in Detroit. Later, she moved to Ypsilanti, where she lived for the rest of her life.
Helping Others as a Foster Grandparent
In 1985, Blanch Ackers started working at the Willow Run School District. She joined a program called "foster grandparent." Through this program, older adults help children in schools. It was run by Child and Family Services.
Discovering Her Artistic Talent
While working as a teacher's aide at Ford Elementary School in Ypsilanti, Blanch met the school's art teacher, Christine Hennessy. Christine introduced Blanch to drawing and watercolor painting. Blanch found a new passion!
Her drawings often showed her memories of growing up in Arkansas. For example, her artworks like Homestead and Yellow Interior tell stories from her past.
In 2002, the University of Michigan Museum of Art bought five of her drawings. This was a big honor for her work. Blanch once said about her art, "I imagine it and I start drawing." Her art was also shown by the Pardee Collection.
Her Family and Later Years
Blanch Ackers had one daughter, Birdes Lawrence Gardner. She also had two sons, Brodis Williams and Willie Williams. Blanch passed away in 2003 at a nursing home.
