Elmer Brown (artist) facts for kids

Elmer William Brown (1909 – 1971) was an amazing African-American artist. He created art using many different methods. He was skilled in painting, making prints, designing murals (large wall paintings), creating stage sets, and working with ceramics and enamel.

Elmer Brown's Early Life and Art

Elmer Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went to school in Columbus, Ohio. In 1929, when he was 20, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio. There, he studied art with a teacher named Paul Travis. This was at the Cleveland School of Art.

Soon after moving to Cleveland, Elmer Brown joined Karamu House. This was a special place for African-American artists. He became good friends with the famous writer Langston Hughes there. Elmer helped create plays for Hughes at Karamu House. He also made beautiful artwork for the lounges.

Elmer Brown's art was shown in many places. His prints were displayed at big art shows in New York City and Philadelphia. He also showed his work many times at the Cleveland Museum of Art's May Show.

Famous Murals

Elmer Brown is best known for his large wall paintings, called murals. Many of these were created as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that helped artists find work during the Great Depression.

Cleveland Murals

In 1940, he painted two important murals. They were called Cleveland Past and Cleveland Present. These murals were made for the Valleyview Homes. This was a housing project in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood.

Years later, in 2005, the Valleyview Homes were torn down. But Elmer Brown's murals were saved! Experts carefully removed and fixed them. In 2010, the murals were put back up in a ballroom at Cleveland State University. Copies of the murals were also placed at Tremont Pointe, which replaced the old Valleyview Homes.

Freedom of Speech Mural

In 1942, Elmer Brown created another big mural. It was for the City Club of Cleveland. This mural was called Freedom of Speech. It was very large, about 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide and 11 feet (3.4 meters) tall.

The mural was inspired by Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera. It showed strong, muscular people. It also featured important documents about freedom. These included the Magna Carta, the United States Bill of Rights, the United States Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. This mural was moved several times as the City Club changed locations. It was also carefully restored by art experts.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1953, Elmer Brown made history. He became the first African-American illustrator at American Greetings. This is a well-known company that makes greeting cards. He worked there for 18 years. He also taught art at the Cooper School of Art in Cleveland.

Elmer Brown passed away in 1971 after being sick for a while. He was buried in Martha's Vineyard. His art continues to inspire people today.

See also

• List of African-American visual artists