Cheryl D. Miller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cheryl D. Miller
Cheryl D. Miller in 2021
Born	Cheryl D. Holmes 1952 (age 72–73) Washington, D.C., United States
Other names	CD Holmes Miller
Education	Maryland Institute College of Art (BFA) Pratt Institute (MS) Union Theological Seminary Rhode Island School of Design
Occupation	Writer theologian; graphic designer; decolonizing historian; decolonial artists
Known for	Decolonization of graphic design
Notable work	Transcending the Problems of the Black Designer to Success in the Marketplace (1985) Black Designers Missing in Action (1987) "Black Designers:Forward in Action, Pt. 1-4" (2020) HERE: Where the Black Designers Are (2024)
Awards	AIGA Medalist "Expanding Access" 2021 Cooper Hewitt "Design Visionary" 2021 The One Club Hall of Fame Inductee 2022

Cheryl D. Holmes Miller (born in 1952) is an American graphic designer, writer, and artist. She is also a Christian minister and historian. She is famous for helping to make the graphic design world more fair for people of all races and genders. In 1984, she started one of the first design companies in New York City owned by a Black woman.

Early Life and Education

Cheryl D. Miller has a diverse family background. Her father's family is from Washington, D.C.. Her mother's family is Filipino Creole from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her grandmother was from the Danish West Indies and Ghana. Her great-great-grandmother was also from Ghana.

Her Filipino grandfather served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He met her grandmother at a USO club, and they got married. Miller's mother, who was Filipino-Creole, came to the United States to study at Howard University.

Schooling and College

Miller went to Calvin Coolidge High School. She started college at the Rhode Island School of Design. When her father passed away during her second year, she moved closer to her mother. She transferred to the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). There, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.

In 1985, she earned a Master of Science degree in visual communications from the Pratt Institute. For her master's project, she wrote an important paper. It was called "Transcending the Problems of the Black Designer to Success in the Marketplace." This paper looked at design, society, and history. It explored job opportunities for African American designers.

Honorary Degrees

Miller has received several special honorary degrees. In February 2021, she received a Doctor of Humane Letters from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. In May 2022, she received a Doctor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She also received a Doctor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design in June 2022. In May 2023, she received another honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute.

Career in Design

After finishing her studies, Miller worked in broadcast design. She created on-air sets and graphics for TV. During this time, she designed the logo and look for BET. After working in broadcasting for 10 years, she moved to New York City. She attended the Pratt Institute and later graduated from the Union Theological Seminary.

Working for Equality

Miller played a key role in starting the AIGA's efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the 1990s. In 1989, the first AIGA Minority Task Force was created. Its goal was to help end the unfair treatment of designers of color. Miller was part of this group.

The group organized a special event on April 5, 1991. It was called "Why Is Graphic Design 93% White?" Miller's work helped raise awareness. She showed the design community the problems minority designers faced in finding jobs and gaining experience.

Important Writings

In 1987, Print Magazine published an article about Miller's master's paper. It was titled "Black Designers Missing in Action." This paper and article started a movement. People began to research and promote more diverse designers. The design industry also started talking about the importance of diversity.

In 1990, Step-by-Step magazine published her article "Embracing Cultural Diversity in Design." In 2013, she wrote a book about her life called Black Coral: A Daughter's Apology to her Asian Island Mother. In 2016, Print magazine published a follow-up to her 1987 article.

Her research found that after the Civil War, white printers' unions often excluded Black and women artisans. This was done to help their own businesses. Miller's articles are very important for AIGA's Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce. She is seen as a leading writer for the graphic design industry.

Her ideas encourage designers to look closely at design history. They help discover diverse voices and works that shaped the industry. She believes it is important to document all designers. This helps us better understand human history.

In 2020, Miller started a new project. She began to "decolonize" the history of graphic design. She created a special online collection called The History of Black Graphic Design. This project was supported by librarians at Stanford University.

In 2020, Eugene Korsunskiy wrote about Miller's ideas. He heard her speak about design elements that can represent racism. Miller said, "I would like to retire the Paul Rand look. I would like to retire mid-century Helvetica. I want to retire flush left. I want to retire rag right. I want to retire white space. I want to retire the Swiss grid… It is the look of my oppressor… a mid-century era when it wasn’t easy to enter the NY marketplace as a Black designer. When I see that look, the only thing it says to me is, 'You cannot enter. You don't belong. You're not good enough.'"

Miller's second book, HERE: Where the Black Designers Are, was released in October 2024. It is a memoir about her life working for change. It answers the question: "Where are the Black designers?" The book explores history and calls for fairness for Black designers. It helps to "decolonize" the history of graphic design. The book ends with a part of her speech to the RISD class of 2022. She told them: "Be better than the history I’ve traveled through and make your history far more inclusive and welcoming for everyone to encounter."

Her Design Work

In 1984, Miller moved to New York City with her husband. She ran her own design studio, Cheryl D. Miller Design Inc., until 2000. Her clients included BET, Chase, Time Inc., and American Express.

Her personal design work is now part of the collections at Stanford University Libraries. Her work is also held at The Poster House in New York and The Design Museum in The Hague. In 1992, NASA asked Miller to create a poster for Dr. Mae Jemison. Dr. Jemison was America's first African-American woman astronaut.

Miller has also shared her long career as a designer on YouTube. She shows pieces from her portfolio that are now in Stanford University's special collections. On April 3, 2021, Miller was a guest on the Design Dedux podcast. She talked about gender and race equality in graphic design. Miller also hosted the "AIGA 2024 MARGINS" conference. It featured many leaders in higher education.

Christian Ministry

Miller earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She is an ordained Christian minister. She is part of the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Churches USA.

Awards and Special Roles

AIGA Medal awarded to Miller in 2021 for Expanding Access

In 2021, Miller received an AIGA Medal. This is one of the highest honors in design. It is given to designers whose work shows great dedication and influence. Miller was recognized for her huge impact in ending the unfair treatment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) designers. This was through her activism, writing, research, and archiving work.

In the same year, Miller also received Cooper Hewitt's "Design Visionary" award. During the 2020 school year, Miller became a Distinguished Senior Lecturer and Designer in Residence at the University of Texas at Austin. She also teaches graphic design at Howard University and Lesley University College of Art and Design.

In 2021, Cheryl became the William O. Steinzmetz Designer in Residence Scholar at the Maryland Institute College of Art. As part of this role, she took part in "Voices: Black Graphic Design History." She had conversations with other designers. In 2021, IBM announced that Miller would be their first IBM Design Scholar.

In October 2022, Miller was inducted into The One Club Hall of Fame.

Collections and Exhibitions

Cheryl D. Miller's work is featured in several important collections and exhibitions:

• Maryland Institute College of Art Steinmetz Designer in Residence Exhibition, 2021
• The Cheryl D. Miller Collection at Stanford University
• MvVo Art AD Show, New York
• The Poster House Museum, New York
• The Design Museum Deldel
• The Cheryl D. Miller Collection of Black Graphic Design History at The Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography
• Mosley Gallery
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Media

Podcast Episodes

• "Revision Path: Episode 248; Cheryl D. Miller" This episode is now part of the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
• "Episode 500: Dr. Cheryl D. Miller"
• "It’s about Time for a History in Black Design — Part I" (Episode 6)
• "Th¡nk - Interview with Cheryl D. Miller: Slavery, Justice, and the Future of Design"
• "I Was There w/ Dr. Cheryl D. Miller - Part 1"
• "Design Education Talks Special: Cheryl D. Miller: Decolonising Graphic Design" (audio only)
  • "Design Education Talks Special: Cheryl D. Miller: Decolonising Graphic Design(audio and video)
• "We are HERE! w/ Dr. Cheryl Miller - Part 2"
• "Breaking Barriers in Design: Dr. Cheryl D. Miller on Diversity, Legacy & Decolonizing Graphic Design"

Lectures and Presentations

• "The Cheryl D Miller Portfolio 2020"
• "Cheryl D. Miller: The History of “Where are the Black designers?”
• "White Default with Cheryl D. Miller"
• "Visiting Artist, Scholar, and Designer Program | Cheryl D. Miller"
• "The History of Black Women in Graphic Design"