Cheryl D. Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cheryl D. Miller
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Cheryl D. Miller in 2021
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Cheryl D. Holmes
1952 (age 72–73) Washington, D.C., United States
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| 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 |
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Notable work
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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 amazing American graphic designer. She is also a writer, artist, and Christian minister. Cheryl is famous for helping make the graphic design world more fair for everyone. She worked to improve racial and gender equality. In 1984, she started one of the first design companies in New York City owned by a Black woman.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Cheryl Miller has a diverse family background. Her family comes from African-American and Philippine American roots. Her grandparents met during World War I. Her mother came to the United States to study at Howard University.
Cheryl went to Calvin Coolidge High School. She started at the Rhode Island School of Design. When her father passed away, she moved closer to her mother. She then studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). There, she earned her BFA degree.
In 1985, she earned a Master of Science degree 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 how African American designers could find jobs. It combined design, sociology, and history.
Cheryl has received many honorary doctorates. These include degrees from Vermont College of Fine Arts, MICA, Rhode Island School of Design, and Pratt Institute.
Her Career in Design
After finishing school, Cheryl worked in broadcast design. She created sets and graphics for TV shows. She even designed the logo for BET. After ten years, she moved to New York City. She continued her studies at Pratt Institute and Union Theological Seminary.
Cheryl was very important in starting AIGA's diversity efforts. AIGA is a professional organization for designers. In 1989, she helped create the AIGA Minority Task Force. This group worked to end the unfair treatment of designers of color. In 1991, they held a big event called "Why Is Graphic Design 93% White?" Cheryl's work helped more people understand the challenges minority designers faced. She helped them get jobs and experience.
Writing and Research
In 1987, Print Magazine published an article about Cheryl's master's paper. It was titled "Black Designers Missing in Action." This article inspired many people to research and support more diverse designers. It also encouraged discussions about diversity in the design world.
Cheryl wrote a memoir in 2013 called Black Coral: A Daughter's Apology to her Asian Island Mother. Her research showed that after the Civil War, white printers' unions often excluded Black people and women. This was done to help their own businesses.
Cheryl's articles are key to AIGA's Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce. She is seen as a leading writer in the graphic design industry. Her ideas encourage designers to look at design history differently. She wants them to find and celebrate the work of diverse creators. She believes it's important to document all designers. This helps us better understand human history.
In 2020, Cheryl started a project to rethink design history. It's a database called The History of Black Graphic Design. She created it with help from Stanford University librarians.
Cheryl has strong opinions about some design styles. She feels that certain looks, like the "Paul Rand look" or "mid-century Helvetica," can represent old ways of thinking. She said these styles reminded her of a time when it was hard for Black designers to succeed. She wants to see new styles that are more welcoming to everyone.
In October 2024, Cheryl released her second book, HERE: Where the Black Designers Are. This book tells her life story and her journey to find Black designers. It explores history and calls for fairness for Black designers. The book encourages future designers to create a more welcoming and inclusive world.
Her Design Work
In 1984, Cheryl moved to New York City. She ran her own design studio, Cheryl D. Miller Design Inc., until 2000. Her clients included big names like BET, Chase, Time Inc., and American Express. Her personal artwork is now part of the collections at Stanford University Libraries. It is also at The Poster House in New York and The Design Museum in The Hague.
In 1992, NASA asked Cheryl to create a poster. It was for Dr. Mae Jemison, America's first African-American woman astronaut.
You can find videos on YouTube where Cheryl talks about her long career. She shares pieces from her portfolio that are now in Stanford University's special collections.
Christian Ministry
Cheryl is a graduate of the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She is an ordained Christian minister. She belongs to the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Churches USA.
Awards and Teaching
In 2021, Cheryl received an AIGA Medal. This is one of the highest honors in design. It celebrates designers who have greatly influenced the field. Cheryl was recognized for her efforts to end the unfair treatment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) designers. She did this through her activism, writing, and research. In the same year, she also won the Cooper Hewitt "Design Visionary" award.
Cheryl has taught graphic design at several universities. These include the University of Texas at Austin, Howard University, and Lesley University College of Art and Design.
In 2021, she became the William O. Steinzmetz Designer in Residence Scholar at Maryland Institute College of Art. She also became the first IBM Design Scholar.
In October 2022, Cheryl was inducted into The One Club Hall of Fame.
Collections and Exhibitions
Cheryl D. Miller's work is held in several important collections and has been shown in exhibitions:
- The Cheryl D. Miller Collection at Stanford University
- 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
Images for kids
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Cheryl D. Miller in 2021
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AIGA Medal awarded to Miller in 2021 for Expanding Access
