Emmett Wigglesworth facts for kids
Emmett Wigglesworth is a talented artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is known for his bright and colorful murals. He also creates paintings, sculptures, and fabric designs. Besides his art, he is a poet and a civil rights activist. He has lived in New York since 1958. Wigglesworth says his art is inspired by his own culture and life experiences.
Early Life and Education
Emmett Wigglesworth went to the College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. After his studies, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He served in the military until 1957, when he was honorably discharged.
Artistic Career
Wigglesworth has worked as a designer and illustrator for many publishing companies. These include well-known names like McGraw-Hill, Harper & Roe, and Macmillan Press. He even illustrated for Sesame Street Magazine, which is a magazine for children.
He also shared his art skills by teaching. He taught art at places like the New Muse in Brooklyn and the Children's Art Carnival in Manhattan. He designed covers for two books of poetry.
In 1968, Wigglesworth designed the inside and outside of the Bedford Stuyvesant Theater in Brooklyn. He also created costumes and stage sets for the Black Spectrum Theater in Queens, New York.
In February 2010, Wigglesworth helped organize an art show. This exhibition featured over 40 murals. The goal was to help more people see art by black artists.
His artwork has been shown in Ghana and all over the United States. He has created murals for many different places. These include private homes, schools like P.S. 181 in Brooklyn, and hospitals. He also made 11 murals for the Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation and the Urban Resource Institute.
As of 2025, Wigglesworth is an Artist-in-Residency at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL). He is also a member of several art groups. These groups include the National Conference of Artists and the Fulton Art Fair Artists.
Civil Rights Work
Emmett Wigglesworth was involved in the Civil Rights Movement starting in 1959. In the early 1960s, he taught art at the CORE Freedom School in Selma, Alabama. While there, he wrote and directed two plays. These plays were for the CORE Freedom Theater in San Francisco.
Art Organizations
Wigglesworth is a member of several important art organizations. These include the National Conference of Artists and the Weusi Artist Collective in New York City. He is also part of the Association of Caribbean and American Artists and the Fulton Art Fair Artists.
