Linda Goode Bryant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Goode Bryant
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Goode Bryant in 2010
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| Born | July 21, 1949 Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Spelman College Columbia University |
| Occupation | Documentary filmmaker, activist |
| Known for | Founder of gallery Just Above Midtown (JAM) |
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Notable work
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Flag Wars (film, 2003) |
| Awards | Guggenheim Fellow (2004), Anonymous Was A Woman (2020) |
Linda Goode Bryant (born July 21, 1949) is an African-American documentary filmmaker and activist. A documentary filmmaker creates movies that tell true stories. An activist works to bring about social or political change.
Linda Goode Bryant founded an art gallery called Just Above Midtown (JAM). This gallery was the main topic of a special exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in 2022.
In 2009, Goode Bryant started Project EATS. This project creates urban farms in New York City. These farms grow fresh food in neighborhoods that don't have easy access to healthy produce.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Linda Goode Bryant was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1949. Her parents, Floyd Goode and Josephine Stewart, were activists. When she was six, her mother enrolled her in art school.
Linda experienced racism while growing up in Columbus. She attended Franklin Junior High, where most students were Black and most teachers were White. After an incident at school, she was expelled from the Columbus school system.
Her parents then helped her attend Ohio State University's K-12 Lab School. She went there from 8th grade until she graduated in 1967. At just 13, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to join the historic March on Washington.
In 1972, Goode Bryant earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She studied studio art and drama. After college, she moved to New York City. In 1980, she earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University.
Career Highlights
After college, Linda Goode Bryant worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She also became the director of education at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Her experiences in museums showed her that there were not enough opportunities for Black artists. This led her to create her own art space.
Just Above Midtown: A Special Art Gallery
In 1974, at 24 years old, Linda Goode Bryant opened Just Above Midtown (JAM). This was a non-profit art space in New York City. It focused on showing new work by African-American artists and other artists of color. Many of these artists created abstract art or used new forms like video and performance art.
JAM was the first gallery to show work by artists of color in a major gallery district. Before JAM, these artists often showed their work in community centers. Other galleries nearby were not always welcoming to JAM.
JAM opened during a time when there was a big difference in how white artists and non-white artists were valued. Goode Bryant wanted JAM to be a place where Black artists could show their work freely. JAM also helped connect Black artists from the West Coast with those on the East Coast.
JAM's Locations and Programs
JAM first opened on West 57th Street. In 1980, it moved to a larger space in Tribeca. At this new location, JAM hosted many live events. These included performances, readings, video screenings, and lectures.
In 1982, Goode Bryant and Janet Henry published Black Currant. This was a publication that featured artists connected to JAM.
In 1984, JAM moved to its final location at 503 Broadway. It stopped being a commercial gallery and became a studio space for artists. JAM also offered a course called "The Business of Being an Artist." The gallery staff even started a preschool for artists who were single mothers.
JAM gave many artists their first chance to show their work. Some of these artists are now very famous, like David Hammons and Adrian Piper. JAM closed its doors in 1986.
JAM's Legacy Today
In 2022, the Museum of Modern Art held a special exhibition called "Just Above Midtown: Changing Spaces." This was the first museum show about the JAM gallery. It featured old materials from the gallery and artwork that was shown there. The exhibition also included film screenings and performances.
Filmmaking Career
Linda Goode Bryant is also a talented filmmaker. She co-produced and directed Flag Wars (2003) with Laura Poitras. This documentary was filmed in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. It explored the challenges that arose when white gay homebuyers moved into a mostly Black neighborhood. The film showed themes of prejudice and how neighborhoods change. Flag Wars was nominated for an Emmy Award.
She also directed other films, including a part of Time Piece (2006) and Hurricane Teens (1998). She was also involved in the film Colored Frames. This documentary looked at the experiences of Black artists over the past fifty years.
Literary Contributions
Linda Goode Bryant co-authored a book called Contextures (1978). This book discussed African American artists who contributed to abstract art. She also wrote an essay for the exhibition catalog Bad Girls (1994).
Awards and Recognition
Linda Goode Bryant has received many awards for her work. These include a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2004 and a Peabody Award. In 2020, she was honored by Anonymous Was A Woman. This group supports women artists over 40 years old.
Activism and Community Work
Linda Goode Bryant is the founder and executive director of the Active Citizen Project (ACP). This non-profit organization uses art and new media to encourage people to get involved in social change.
Project EATS: Urban Farming for Communities
Under the Active Citizen Project, Goode Bryant also started Project EATS in 2008. This happened during a time when there was a global food crisis. Project EATS is a network of urban farms in New York City.
The project takes empty pieces of land in New York City and turns them into farms. Residents from the neighborhoods are invited to help grow food. This fresh produce is then sold at local stands. Project EATS farms are located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Queens.
Project EATS also hosts art and community programs for local residents. It helps communities get access to healthy food and learn about sustainable farming.
