Ruth Inge Hardison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Inge Hardison
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| Born | February 3, 1914 Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | March 23, 2016 (aged 102) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress, Photographer, Sculptor, artist |
| Known for | "Negro Giants in History" (1960s busts) |
Ruth Inge Hardison (born February 3, 1914 – died March 23, 2016) was an amazing American artist. She was a sculptor, which means she made statues, and also a photographer. She is famous for her sculptures from the 1960s called "Negro Giants in History." These were sculpted portraits, like 3D pictures, of important Black historical figures.
She also created a collection in 1983 called "Our Folks." This collection showed sculpted portraits of everyday people. Ruth Inge Hardison loved to create art that showed the history of Black people. She wanted to share the stories of African Americans from the past. When the Black Academy of Arts and Letters (BAAL) started in 1969, she was the only woman in the group. This group helps people learn about great Black artists.
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Early Life and Education
Ruth Inge Hardison was born in Portsmouth, Virginia in 1914. Her family later moved to Brooklyn, New York. Before finishing her studies, she acted in plays on Broadway. She was in shows like "Sweet River" and "Country Wife."
While acting, she started sculpting as a fun hobby. She even made a sculpture of the cast from a play called "What a Life." This sculpture was later shown at the Mansfield Theatre in New York City.
As a young woman, Ruth Inge Hardison studied music and creative writing. She went to Vassar College. She also studied art at the Art Students League of New York. Later, she attended Tennessee State University.
Ruth Inge Hardison's Artworks
Ruth Inge Hardison's sculptures often started as molds made from clay, wax, or plaster. Then, she would use these molds to create her final pieces. These final artworks were made from materials like cast stone or bronze.
"Negro Giants in History" Series
Hardison began her famous series "Negro Giants in History" in 1963. This series included sculptures of important Black leaders. Her first sculpture in this series was of Harriet Tubman. It was eight inches tall.
She also made sculptures of many other famous people. These included W. E. B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, and George Washington Carver. Other "Giants" she sculpted were Frederick Douglass, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Sojourner Truth, and Mary McCleod Bethune.
For example, her bronze sculpture of Frederick Douglass was shown at Princeton's Firestone Library in 1983.
Other Public Sculptures
Ruth Inge Hardison created many other artworks for public places. One large sculpture is called "Jubilee." It is a 7-foot tall abstract figure. You can find it at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.
She also made a series of 18 children for an outdoor wall. This artwork is at I.S.74 in Hunts Point in the Bronx. In 1957, she gave a five-foot sculpture of a mother and child to Mount Sinai Hospital. This was her way of saying thank you for their help when her daughter, Yolande, was born in 1954.
Ingenious Americans Series
In the late 1960s, Hardison created a series called "Ingenious Americans." These were sculptures of Black inventors and other important people who were not very well known. This series included nine sculptures.
Some of the people in this series were Benjamin Banneker, Charles R. Drew, and Matthew Henson. Others included Frederick McKinley Jones, Lewis Howard Latimer, Garrett Morgan, Norbert Rillieux, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, and Granville Woods.
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Matthew Henson
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Norbert Rillieux
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Lewis Latimer
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Granville Woods
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Garrett Morgan
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Frederick McKinley Jones
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Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
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Charles Richard Drew
Honoring Leaders
Ruth Inge Hardison's sculptures have been sold for over $1300 each at auctions. Her art was also used to honor important leaders. In 1990, New York's Governor Mario Cuomo gave one of Hardison's sculptures to Nelson Mandela. This was a two-foot sculpture of Sojourner Truth. It was a gift from the people of New York State.
Ruth Inge Hardison once shared her thoughts about her work. She said, "During my long life I have enjoyed using different ways to distill the essences of my experiences so as to share for the good they might do in the lives of others." This shows how much she wanted her art to help and inspire people.
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