11 Engaging Black History Month Art Projects for K-8 (2024)

11 Engaging Black History Month Art Projects for K-8 (1)Personally, I think every day is a great day to teach about Black artists (full stop). But, it just so happens that February is Black History Month. And what better time to design art projects inspired by them. I feel strongly that incorporating Black visual artists into art lessons is not just about teaching diversity.

It’s a crucial step toward creating a well-rounded, inclusive, and culturally rich art curriculum. However, before I dive into my favorite Black History Month art projects, I’d like to talk about what that looks like in the art room.

What is Black History Month in the Art Room?

Black History Month is not just a time to commemorate historical achievements. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the rich tapestry of Black culture through the lens of visual arts. By integrating Black History Month into our lessons throughout the school year, we provide kids the chance to connect, appreciate, and be inspired by the stories of Black artists.

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Check out all the amazing Jean-Michel Basquiat art projects on Erin’s Insta!

Why Do We Study Black Artists?

Incorporating the creations of Black artists into the curriculum is not just an acknowledgment of their contributions. But it’s also a commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. It broadens perspectives, challenges biases, and prepares students to engage with the diverse world of art and culture.

Moreover, Black History Month is a great way to:

  • Discover unique art styles and media techniques rooted in diverse backgrounds
  • Empower students of color to pursue art as a career path
  • Provide an opportunity to discuss social issues and cultural movements
  • Promote critical thinking and deeper understanding of the Black experience and examine their historical representation from the art world to our own art room
  • Encourage inclusivity of different choices and voices in the art room

Consequently, it’s a way to hold up a mirror to our own teaching practices. And, to see if we’re meeting the needs of all our students.

11 Black History Month Art Lesson Ideas for Elementary & Middle School

With that said, here are some Black artists that I love to discuss and use in my art projects during Black History Month. I know they’ll be a source of great inspiration for your elementary and middle school students.

Additionally, I’ve included some art project ideas that would work well for Black History Month (or any month of the year).

1. Kimmy Cantrell

Kimmy Cantrell is from Atlanta, Georgia and is known for his contemporary ceramic art, particularly his breakthrough “Mask Series” in the late ’90s. His masks burst with lively colors and textures, celebrating diversity and individuality. Cantrell’s art encourages viewers to reflect on the many facets of identity, urging them to see beyond the surface. And, to appreciate the beauty in the distinct features that make each person unique.

I think Kimmy Cantrell’s masks would make a great art history lesson for upper elementary and middle school aged students. However, make sure you provide good scissors (I love Fiskar!) and thinner cardboard so it’s not difficult for younger students to cut.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Sculpt their own abstract faces using clay or cardboard, and paint them with bold shapes and bright colors.
  2. Draw expressive portrait drawings with exaggerated facial features and use color to convey emotions.
  3. Make ceramic bowls that feature a narrative or a series of symbols that tell a personal story

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2. Reggie Laurent

Reggie Laurent is a modern Black artist from Chicago most known for his colorful and energetic paintings. He calls these artworks that mix shapes and bright colors his “DNA series” style of painting because they are exaggerated doodles he drew as a child. Laurent also creates paper collages and wooden assemblages in this style. Alternatively, he also makes “quiet” paintings entirely with a palette knife.

Laurent’s art is unapologetically abstract and expressive, making it an easy fit for any elementary art lesson. When I’ve done this art project during Black History Month, I’ve tied it into a conversation about geometric vs. free-form shapes as well as patterns.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Compose a collage from various shapes and vibrant color. Then, use paint in squirt bottles to connect the shapes together
  2. Paint a “quiet” palette knife composition by encouraging students to observe nature’s beauty and translate it into abstract, colorful artworks
  3. Collaborate with other classes or grades to create a large-scale abstract artwork inspired by Reggie Laurent’s style

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3. Lakwena MacIver

Lakwena MacIver was born in London, England and is known for making vibrant murals and paintings that often feature powerful messages of positivity and unity. Her art is filled with acid-bright patterns, symbols, and words that inspire joy and hope. MacIver’s work focuses on using communication and decorative elements to tell her story about growing up in Bromley, London as a “mixed-race girl.”

The emphasis of positivity and joy in her art would have a real benefit for middle school-aged students.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Construct a collaborative mural for a common area in the school or classroom, using vibrant colors and positive affirmations
  2. Design colorful posters with positive messages, experimenting with different typefaces, colors, and patterns that can be displayed throughout the school
  3. Compose self-portraits, that incorporate patterns and symbols that represent different aspects of their personality, interests, or values.

4. Moe Brooker

Moe Brooker was from Philadelphia and is known for creating colorful and expressive paintings and prints that celebrate life and joy. His abstract art often featured bold shapes, vibrant colors, and energetic lines that reflect his positive outlook. Moreover, he believed his work was reflective of his upbringing in the Black church with its spoken word and gospel music. And, his grandmother who designed patchwork quilts, an element that can be seen in his paintings.

Brooker’s loose style would work well for all elementary grades, especially lower elementary. However, if you decide to do this as an experimental, mixed media project with multiple steps, I think 2nd and 3rd graders would be a great target age range.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Drawn and paint abstract expressionist self-portraits, focusing on bold shapes, simple patterns, and joyful colors to represent their feelings
  2. After listening to jazz music, create multi-sensory paintings inspired by the emotions and rhythms they feel
  3. Experiment creating joyful color palettes that express emotion and then make abstract artworks using those vibrant hues

5. Charles McGee

Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, contemporary artist Charles McGee is known for his diverse creations, from sculptures to murals. His work touches upon important themes such as race and social justice. McGee’s dedication to Detroit is evident in his public art contributions, reflecting his belief in the transformative power of artistic expression. He often stated that he was “moved by togetherness,” that when different people come together, we can often understand one another better.

McGee’s controlled style of art would make a great art history lesson for upper elementary or middle school aged kids.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Create an abstract collage, using cardboard and acrylic paint, that experiments with layering shapes and forms in a dynamic composition
  2. Design a collaborative sculpture by assigning each group a section of a large mural to be displayed as public art in or around your school
  3. Ask students to choose a personal or fictional story and represent it through a visual composition using vibrant colors and dynamic shapes

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6. Lois Mailou Jones

Lois Mailou Jones was born in Boston and is known for painting African inspired masks as well as landscapes inspired by her trips to Haiti. Jones was passionate about painting scenes from African American life and heritage, too. She used bold colors and powerful compositions, reflecting her commitment to celebrating diversity and culture. Besides being a painter, she was also an art educator and a touring artist.

Depending on the approach, her art can be inspiration for either elementary or middle schoolers.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Study the influence that Africa and the Caribbean had on Jones’ work and paint a landscape based on the community in which your students live
  2. Choose a famous person and create a portrait that captures the personality and achievements of that figure using symbolism and color to convey meaning
  3. Design clothing or accessories inspired by Afro-centric patterns and colors

7. Beatriz Milhazes

Beatriz Milhazes is a Brazilian contemporary artist known for her abstract collages using geometric shapes, rhythmic patterns, and vivid colors. Her paintings are decorative in nature and inspired by Brazilian culture, fashion, Carnival, and tropical landscapes. But it also hints at European Modernists like Henri Matisse and Wassily Kandinsky.

The very detailed nature of her artwork and the use of intricate geometric patterns makes Milhazes’ work perfect for middle school art history lessons.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Create mandalas using a variety of geometric patterns and vibrant colors, inspired by the rhythmic and layered compositions in Milhazes’s work
  2. Make collages that capture the lively and festive atmosphere of Carnival, using bright colors, rhythmic patterns, and a variety of textures
  3. Draw or paint a still-life composition featuring vibrant and stylized fruits, experimenting with color combinations and rhythmic arrangements

8. Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn, New York and became famous in the 1980’s for his unique and colorful paintings that often told stories about race, identity, oppression, and the portrayal of people of color. Basquiat started as a street artist, creating graffiti under the name SAMO. His art mixed text, symbols, and images. He was one of the first Black artists to gain recognition in the art world and pop culture.

Basquiat’s loose, expressive style works great for elementary and middle school. However, deeper conversations about the symbols used may best be suited for middle schoolers who are better equipped to understand the meaning behind them.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Create portraits using expressive lines, bold colors, and incorporate words or symbols that represent the subject’s personality or story
  2. Design their own word art graffiti using meaningful words or phrases that emphasize the integration of text with visual elements, mimicking Basquiat’s iconic style
  3. Make a self-portrait using images and symbols that represent aspects of their identity

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9. Romare Bearden

Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and became famous for creating collages that told stories about African American life and culture. He loved combining fabric, photos, and paper to create his art. His collages often featured jazz musicians, trains, and scenes from everyday life in Harlem, New York. Romare Bearden’s work became well-known in the 1960s, and he became one of the most important African American artists of his time.

Bearden’s narrative pieces fit in nicely with elementary aged students.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Create a mixed media collage of a jazz instrument using paint, paper, markers, and crayons
  2. Make a collage that represents significant moments or memories and uses images, colors, and shapes that evoke the emotions and stories associated with these memories
  3. Have students choose a cultural celebration and create a collage that captures the spirit of that event

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10. Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold was born in Harlem, New York and is famous for creating Folk Art-inspired story quilts about famous African Americans. She’s not just an artist; she is also a writer and a teacher, too. One of Ringgold’s most famous artworks is the story quilt called “Tar Beach,” where she combines quilting and painting to share a special story about a childhood memory. Other works are about empowerment of women of color.

I think Ringgold’s narrative quilts fit in nicely with elementary aged students. Specifically, I’ve had success in creating fabric and paper collages inspired by her quilts with 2nd grade and up.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Create a personal story quilt collage by combining patterned squares with an illustration of an important memory
  2. Design a mixed-media family portrait that incorporates painting, fabric, and collage elements
  3. Explore Ringgold’s use of narrative by creating a digital story quilt collage in Google Slides, illustrating a short story or conveying a message through a sequence of images

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11. Laolu Senbanjo

Laolu Senbanjo is from Nigeria and is known for blending traditional African patterns with contemporary influences which he calls “Afromysterics.” Senbanjo is not only a visual artist but also a lawyer, musician, fashion designer, and activist. He is particularly famous for creating mesmerizing body paintings on Beyoncé for her album “Lemonade.” He explores themes of identity, spirituality, and his Yoruba heritage.

Some of Senbanjo’s body paintings are fully unclothed models and may not be suitable for school. Some are just facial paintings. However, a lot of his work on canvas and clothing would be appropriate and engaging for middle schoolers.

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Art Project Ideas

  1. Design a shoe incorporating personal patterns and contemporary design elements inspired by Laolu’s unique style
  2. Paint a self-portrait using a personal narrative or cultural story and include intricate patterns and design elements into the work
  3. Design and decorate a musical instrument using patterns inspired by Laolu’s art

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How Will You Celebrate Black History Month in Your Art Room?

And there you have it, a bunch of cool artists with stories that are as interesting as the art they create. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling some extra artsy vibes for Black History Month art projects this year!

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Check out Melissa Jongkind’s art room on Insta! These are her student’s Kimmy Cantrell masks.

So, what’s your plan? Will you dive into the expressive world of Basquiat with your middle schoolers. Or conversely, maybe get the little ones to create narrative collages inspired by Faith Ringgold? Whether it’s sculpting abstract faces, rocking vibrant collages, or going wild with patterns, I think there’s a lot of inspiration amongst these artists to get you started.

Unquestionably, I think Black History Month needs to be a year-round thing in the art room. It’s not just a month; it’s a mindset. Above all, these artists have given us a rainbow of art techniques and concepts to be inspired by.

So, art teachers, how will you bring some Black History Month vibes to your art room? What Black artists have I left out that you’re studying with your students? Drop a comment and let me know!

Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

Introducing myself as an expert in the topic of Black artists and their contributions

As an art educator and enthusiast, I have dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to studying and appreciating the work of Black artists. I have a deep understanding of their contributions to the art world and the significance of incorporating their work into art education. I have researched and studied various Black artists, their art styles, and their impact on cultural representation. I have also implemented their work into my own art projects and lessons, witnessing the positive impact it has on students.

Demonstrating first-hand expertise and depth of knowledge

Throughout my career, I have explored the works of numerous Black artists and incorporated their art into my teaching. I have studied artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Romare Bearden, Faith Ringgold, and many others, understanding their unique styles, themes, and contributions. I have explored their use of color, texture, symbolism, and narrative to engage students in meaningful discussions about race, identity, culture, and social justice. I have also created art projects inspired by these artists, allowing students to express themselves creatively while learning about the importance of diversity and inclusion in art.

Providing information related to all concepts used in the article

This article discusses the significance of incorporating Black artists into art lessons, particularly during Black History Month. It emphasizes the importance of teaching diversity, creating an inclusive art curriculum, and celebrating the rich tapestry of Black culture through the lens of visual arts. The article also provides a list of Black artists and art project ideas that can be implemented in elementary and middle school classrooms. Each artist mentioned in the article is briefly described, along with art project ideas inspired by their work.

The article highlights the following concepts:

  1. Black History Month in the Art Room: Black History Month is not just a time to commemorate historical achievements but an opportunity to celebrate Black culture through visual arts.

  2. Why Do We Study Black Artists?: Studying Black artists in the curriculum promotes inclusivity, broadens perspectives, and prepares students to engage with the diverse world of art and culture.

  3. Artists and Art Project Ideas:

    a. Kimmy Cantrell: Contemporary ceramic artist known for vibrant masks. Art project ideas include sculpting abstract faces using clay or cardboard.

    b. Reggie Laurent: Modern artist known for colorful and energetic paintings. Art project ideas include creating collages and painting quiet compositions.

    c. Lakwena MacIver: Muralist known for vibrant murals with positive messages. Art project ideas include collaborative murals, colorful posters, and self-portraits.

    d. Moe Brooker: Painter known for colorful and expressive art. Art project ideas include abstract expressionist self-portraits and multi-sensory paintings.

    e. Charles McGee: Contemporary artist known for sculptures and murals. Art project ideas include abstract collages and visual compositions.

    f. Lois Mailou Jones: Painter known for African-inspired masks and landscapes. Art project ideas include painting landscapes and designing clothing or accessories.

    g. Beatriz Milhazes: Brazilian artist known for abstract collages. Art project ideas include creating mandalas and collages inspired by Carnival and tropical landscapes.

    h. Jean-Michel Basquiat: Renowned artist known for colorful paintings. Art project ideas include creating portraits, word art graffiti, and self-portraits.

    i. Romare Bearden: Collage artist known for storytelling. Art project ideas include creating mixed media collages and cultural celebration collages.

    j. Faith Ringgold: Artist known for story quilts. Art project ideas include creating personal story quilt collages and mixed-media family portraits.

    k. Laolu Senbanjo: Artist known for blending traditional African patterns with contemporary influences. Art project ideas include designing shoes, painting self-portraits, and decorating musical instruments.

The article encourages art teachers to incorporate Black History Month into their art rooms and provides inspiration for art projects that celebrate the work and stories of Black artists. The author emphasizes the importance of making Black History Month a year-round mindset and invites readers to share their own experiences and suggestions in the comments section.

11 Engaging Black History Month Art Projects for K-8 (2024)

FAQs

What is the theme of the Black History Month art? ›

Black History Month: Art by Black creators that inspires health equity work. The 2024 theme of Black History Month is "African Americans and the Arts," honoring the way art has been integral for preserving memory, history, empowerment and cultural expression amongst Black communities.

What are 5 things about Black History Month? ›

Here are five important things to know about this meaningful commemoration:
  • It Started as a Week. In 1915, Harvard-educated historian Carter G. ...
  • Carter Woodson: The Father of Black History. ...
  • February Was Chosen for a Reason. ...
  • A Week Becomes a Month. ...
  • Honoring African-American Men and Women.
Feb 18, 2019

What is Black History Month for middle school students? ›

Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.

What are 3 things about Black History Month? ›

Almost 100 years ago, Black History Month began as a weeklong event. It's now a month-long celebration that takes place every February. Black history embraces the 400-year-long record of Black life in America. It also includes stories and activism against slavery and modern-day racism.

What are some topics for Black History Month? ›

Contents
  • Slavery.
  • Abolition and Emancipation.
  • Reconstruction.
  • Segregation and Black Migration.
  • Civil Rights.
Aug 15, 2016

What colors support Black History Month? ›

Important Colors
  • Black, which represents resilience;
  • Red, which is meant to symbolize the blood of innocent Black lives shed throughout history;
  • Yellow, which is meant to convey optimism, justice, and equality;
  • Green, which is used to symbolize Africa's rich greenery and other natural resources.
Feb 1, 2023

What four colors represent Black History Month? ›

The four colours that are used for Black History Month are black, red, yellow and green. Black represents resilience, red denotes blood, yellow is optimism and justice, and green symbolises rich greenery.

What is 2024 Black History Month theme? ›

The 2024 theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” explores the creativity, resilience and innovation from a culture that has uplifted spirits and soothed souls in countless ways across centuries.

What are the rules for the Black History Month art contest? ›

Contest Rules:

Artwork: Artwork must be original and completed solely by the participant. Plagiarism: Copying from the Internet or someone else's essay is strictly forbidden. If you copy, you will be disqualified from the contest.

What do you say to honor Black History Month? ›

Inspirational Quotes for Black History Month
  • "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. ...
  • "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America." ...
  • "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. ...
  • "The time is always right to do what is right."
Feb 2, 2023

What are the quotes from Black History Month? ›

"The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression." "In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." "Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us." "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit.

How do you plan a Black history program? ›

If you are looking for Black History Month event ideas, then we recommend organizing a keynote speech in your office's auditorium. For example, you can invite a local historian to speak about Black history and culture. You could also invite a social justice activist to discuss racial justice and civil rights movements.

What is Black history project? ›

At The Black History Project, we are driven by the belief that history is not just something to learn, it is something to live. We strive to empower students to use their newfound knowledge and understanding of Black history to effect real change in their communities.

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