Frances Euphemia Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frances Euphemia Thompson
Thompson at the dedication of the Frances Euphemia Thompson gallery at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1979
Born	July 11, 1896 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	January 30, 1992 Nashville, Tennessee
Occupation	Art educator
Known for	Working to improve African American lives through art education

Frances Euphemia Thompson (born July 11, 1896 – died January 30, 1992) was an amazing African American artist and teacher. She worked hard to make life better for African Americans using art education. She was also one of the first African American women to finish her studies at the Massachusetts Normal Art School.

Early Life and Education

Frances Thompson grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She had eight brothers and sisters. After her father passed away, her mother raised the children. A kind family friend, who used to be a slave, also helped them. They called her Aunt Judy.

Frances went to high school at the Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School. This school is now known as Tennessee State University. One of her most important teachers there was Olive Gorane Taliaferro.

Mentorship and College

Olive Taliaferro had graduated from the Massachusetts Normal Art School in 1915. This school is now called Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Olive became a mentor to Frances, guiding her and helping her learn.

Olive convinced Frances to attend the Massachusetts Normal Art School. She even helped pay for Frances's education there. Later, Frances studied education and fine arts at Radcliffe College (part of Harvard University). In 1945, she earned a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree.

Art School and Further Studies

Frances Thompson attended the Massachusetts Normal Art School. She graduated in 1923 from the Department in Teacher Training. She earned a diploma in Elementary Teaching and Supervision. Later, she went back to the school to get her bachelor's degree.

Traveling and Learning in Europe

After her bachelor's degree, Frances received a special award called the Rosenwald Fellowship. This fellowship helped her continue her education in Europe. She traveled to countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.

She settled in Prague, which is in the Czech Republic. There, she learned traditional Czech silversmithing and lacework. However, military activities in Germany at the time stopped her fellowship. She had to return to Tennessee.

Artist and Writer

Frances Thompson created many different kinds of art. She made drawings, oil paintings, and large murals. One of her most famous designs is the official seal for the Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School. She also created special carvings called bas-reliefs that decorated many buildings at the school.

Writing About Art Education

In 1936, Frances wrote her bachelor's thesis. This was a long paper where she explored how art programs could help students in rural segregated schools. These were schools separated by race at the time.

In 1943, her thesis was made into a book. The Tennessee Board of Education published it as Art in the Elementary Schools: A Manual for Teachers. This book helped other teachers use art in their classrooms.

Teaching Career

Frances Thompson dedicated many years to teaching. She taught at Tennessee State University from 1923 until 1969. She helped many students learn about art and its importance.