Janet Braun-Reinitz facts for kids

Janet Braun-Reinitz (1938 – 2023) was an American artist and activist. She used her art to support important causes. Janet was a painter and created large wall paintings called murals. She was also very involved in fighting for social justice.

Her work for civil rights began in 1961. She joined the Freedom Riders. These brave people rode buses into the southern United States. They wanted to challenge unfair laws that separated people by race.

Fighting for Justice: Early Activism

Janet Braun-Reinitz was a Freedom Rider in 1961. During one trip, she was arrested in Little Rock, Arkansas. She spent a week in jail. This was from July 8 to July 15.

After this, she worked for the CORE. This group worked for equal rights for all people. She even led the CORE chapter in Rochester, New York. This was from 1962 to 1963.

Her story was shared in a documentary film. It was called Interview with Janet Braun-Reinitz for the Freedom Riders 40th Anniversary Oral History Project, 2001. Parts of her interview were also in the film The Children Shall Lead (2001).

In 1983, Janet helped start a group called Tasteful Ladies for Peace. This group was in Ithaca, New York. They held peaceful protests. They supported women's health choices. They also spoke out against having too many nuclear weapons.

Art for Change: Murals and Messages

Later, Janet Braun-Reinitz became a full-time muralist and studio artist. She lived and worked in New York City. She started painting murals in 1984.

She created more than 60 murals. These large paintings are in seven different countries. These include India, Ghana, England, and Italy. She also painted murals in Georgia, Nicaragua, and the United States.

One of her biggest murals is in Brooklyn, New York. It is called "When Women Pursue Justice". This mural is very large, covering 3,300 square feet. Janet worked with 12 other women artists on this project. They also worked with a group called Artmakers Inc.

You can learn more about her mural work in these films:

• The Women of Nostrand and Greene (2006) by Dave Reinitz
• Beyond the Walls (2014) by Gail Embrey

Art in Collections

Janet Braun-Reinitz's studio artwork is also very important. Her pieces are displayed in many different collections.

Some of these places include:

• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• The Oakland Museum of California
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (a large company)
• The PAD/D Archives
• The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

A Legacy of Art and Activism

Janet Braun-Reinitz passed away on May 3, 2023. She was 85 years old. She left behind a powerful legacy. She showed how art can be used to fight for justice. Her work continues to inspire people today.