Roots

Finding your “roots” means acknowledging where your ancestors originated from. The artists featured in this section created artwork that explored their African ancestry. For example, Juneteenth, by Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts, contains images of African sculptures and the title references an important historical event in black history. John Biggers, like Pitts, was also inspired by West African cultures. Biggers uses Yoruba and Asante symbols to depict the cultures that many people of African descent were forced to leave behind. Finding your roots is an important part of black empowerment.