William McKnight Farrow facts for kids

William McKnight Farrow (born 1885, died 1967) was an American artist and curator. He was active in the early 1900s. Farrow was known for his own art, especially his prints. But he is most famous for helping and inspiring other African-American artists. Many of these artists became very well-known later on.

Who Was William McKnight Farrow?

William McKnight Farrow was born in Dayton, Ohio. He moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1908. There, he studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

A Champion for Artists

Farrow later became a curator at the Art Institute of Chicago. A curator is someone who helps organize and care for art collections. He played a big part in creating an important art show in 1927. This show was called The Negro in Art Week. It was one of the first major exhibitions to feature African-American art.

Farrow's own artwork was shown at the South Side Community Art Center in Chicago. His art inspired many young artists. These included famous people like Charles White and Gordon Parks.

Besides his art and museum work, Farrow also wrote about art. He had a regular column in The Chicago Defender. This was an important African-American newspaper. He also wrote articles for The Crisis magazine.

Teaching and Later Years

William Farrow also taught art at Carl Schurz High School. However, he lost his teaching job in 1948. This happened after a story about him appeared in the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper. The school had believed he was white when they hired him. When his true racial identity was revealed, he was fired.