Augusta Savage 1892 -1962
Augusta Savage was an American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance. She was also a teacher whose studio was important to the careers of a generation of artists who would become nationally known. She worked for equal rights for African Americans in the arts.
In 1924 Savage was one of 100 women awarded a scholarship to attend the Fontainebleau School of Fine Arts in Paris. But when the admissions committee realized that it had selected a Black woman, Savage’s scholarship was rescinded.
In a letter explaining the decision, the chairman of the sculpture department expressed concern that “disagreeable complications” would arise between Savage and the students “from the Southern states.”
Links to additional information:
Smithsonian American Art Museum