Taft Richardson Jr. facts for kids

Taft Richardson (born September 2, 1943 – died November 30, 2008) was an American folk artist. He was famous for creating sculptures from dried animal bones. Taft loved making art from bones, like spiders, snakes, and even maps. He once made a map of Africa using tiny bone pieces.

Taft believed his art was not just for looking at. He also created it for spiritual and religious reasons. One of his most famous artworks was 82 inches tall. It looked like a huge snake wearing armor. He named this piece "Abaddon," after a name found in the Bible.

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings (1943–1978)

Taft Richardson Jr. was born on September 2, 1943, in Lumberton, Florida. His parents were Taft Richardson Sr. and Mary Turner. When he was about five years old, his family moved to Sulfur Springs, a part of Tampa, Florida. He was baptized at Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church when he was seven.

Taft went to school in a church owned by his relatives. He later graduated from a high school that was only for Black students. At 19, he married his first wife, but they later separated.

Discovering His Unique Art

When Taft was 22, he started collecting bones and skulls from animals. These included bones from chickens, oxen, and lambs. He would then put them together to create art sculptures. He used his daydreams and visions to inspire his bone creations. He glued the bones together to form different shapes and images.

He showed his mother his first artworks, and she was very happy with his talent. His friends and other relatives also praised his unique art.

Moving to Washington D.C.

In the late 1960s, Taft wanted to share his art with more people. He left Tampa, Florida, and moved to Washington D.C. to start his art career. He first worked at General Hospital. Later, he got a job at Howard University Medical Hospital. A good friend, Walter Lattimore, helped him get this position. At Howard University, Taft worked and studied Nuclear Medicine.

Even with his job, Taft spent a lot of his free time on his art. He showed his sculptures at art shows in parks and youth centers around the city. He met many artists, politicians, and famous people who visited Washington D.C.

Art and Social Change

Washington D.C. was a city with many African Americans at that time. It was a place where Black people showed their influence in music, acting, and politics. Taft was very interested in politics and civil rights. In the 1960s and 1970s, Black Americans were fighting for equal rights in the United States.

Taft admired civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. He also respected groups like the Black Panthers. These groups spoke out against the unfair treatment of Black people. Taft supported their ideas, even though he was never an official member of these groups. All these events greatly influenced Taft's future artwork. He decided to use his bone and skull art to share his own views with the world.

Opening Art Galleries

Taft began to show his art to the public. He displayed his work on busy city street corners and in neighborhood parks. He also showed his art at public art centers. In the late 1970s, he opened his first art gallery in Washington D.C. It was called T.E.L. Gallery, and he ran it with two local artists, Leroy and Elbert.

When Taft returned to Tampa, he opened two more art museums. These were Mary's House of Israel and, later in the 1980s, The Moses House art gallery.

National Recognition (1971–2008)

In the early 1970s, Taft took his unique art on tour. He traveled all over the United States, from New York City to California. He held art shows and exhibits in many places.

Taft appeared regularly on television shows. Many newspaper articles around the world wrote about him. The Tampa Tribune newspaper even dedicated an entire section of its "LifeStyle" feature to his work.

Later Life and Legacy

In 2007, Taft became ill. Despite his illness, he continued to work on his last piece of art. He passed away in November 2008.

Taft Richardson was a father to many children. His children include Sharon Moultry, Anthony Richardson, Hebert and Herbert Richardson, Taft Richardson III, Dexter Myers, Pamela (Richardson) Hackley, Travis Richardson, and Cheryl Richardson.