Danny Simmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danny Simmons
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Simmons in 2019
|
|
| Born | August 17, 1953 New York City, U.S.
|
| Died | June 2026 (aged 72) |
| Education | Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree |
| Known for | Artist, Neo-African Abstract Expressionism |
| Awards | TONY, Peabody, NY Mayor Awards for Arts + Culture |
Daniel Simmons Jr. (born August 17, 1953 – died June 2026) was a talented American artist. He was known for his abstract expressionist paintings. He was also a successful author, poet, and a generous philanthropist. Danny, as he was often called, was the older brother of famous hip-hop figures Russell Simmons and Joseph Simmons, also known as "Reverend Run" from Run–D.M.C..
Danny Simmons helped start the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. He co-founded it with his brothers, Russell and Joseph. This foundation helps young people in cities get access to art and art education. He also created Rush Arts Philadelphia and RAP Gallery II. This gallery opened in 2019 and showed solo art exhibitions. It also offered art education programs. Simmons served on the boards of important places like the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Public Library. He was also a past Chairman for the New York State Council on the Arts.
With his brother Russell, Danny Simmons created Def Poetry Jam. This popular show featured poets and was very successful on HBO. In 2004, he wrote a book called Three Days As the Crow Flies. It was a fictional story about the art world in New York during the 1980s.
In 2015, Simmons moved to Philadelphia. There, he opened the Rush Arts Philadelphia gallery (RAP). This helped expand the foundation's work across the country. His art has been displayed in many places. These include the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Smithsonian. His work has also been shown internationally in France, Amsterdam, and Ghana. In 2019, he joined the African American Collections Committee at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Contents
Growing Up and Education
Danny Simmons was born on August 17, 1953. His birthplace was Hollis, Queens, a neighborhood in New York City. His father, Daniel Simmons Sr., was a truant officer and a history professor. He also enjoyed writing poetry. His mother, Evelyn Simmons, was a teacher who liked to paint in her free time.
Danny grew up in Hollis, Queens. He studied social work at New York University. Later, he earned a master's degree in public finance from Long Island University Brooklyn. In 2012, he received an honorary PhD in fine arts from Long Island University. He started painting when he realized he wanted a different kind of work.
Danny Simmons' Art
Danny Simmons was an abstract expressionist painter. His art has been shown all over the country. Important places like Chase Manhattan Bank and the United Nations own his paintings. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture also has his work.
His art was also displayed in other countries. These included France, Amsterdam, and Ghana. The Brooklyn Museum and the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture have shown his pieces. You can often see his paintings in the poetry books he published. Danny also loved collecting African art and comic books. In 2019, he joined a special committee at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This committee focused on African American art collections.
Creating Def Poetry Jam
Danny Simmons was key in creating the popular HBO show Def Poetry Jam. He helped produce this successful program. He even won a Tony Award for the Broadway version of the show. Episodes of Def Poetry were made for HBO from 2002 to 2007.
The idea for the show came from Danny's friends. In the early 1990s, they would perform poetry at open mic nights. These events took place in art galleries. Poets also performed at the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe and Danny's home. Danny then talked to his brother Russell about making a new "Def Jam" project. After many live shows, Danny and his partners launched "Def Poetry Jam." It became both a TV show and a Broadway play.
His Passing
Danny Simmons passed away in June 2026. He was 72 years old.
Books by Danny Simmons
Danny Simmons was also a published author. Here are some of his books:
- Three Days As The Crow Flies (2003)
- I Dreamed My People Were Calling But I Couldn't Find My Way Home (2007)
- '85: A Graphic Novel (2008)
- The Brown Beatnik Tomes
- Deep in Your Best Reflection: Poems in 160 Characters (2015)
- The Return of Two Dick Willie (2018)
See also
- List of artists from Brooklyn
