The poems and prose throughout Black Artists in America were written by Sacramento area students in response to artworks on view.

Artworks by artists like David Clyde Driskell, Jack Whitten, and many others served as inspiration for these student-centered interpretations and is reflected in the way the written word sits in dialogue with its accompanying visual alongside the artwork’s label.
Students from elementary schools, high schools, and universities across the region have contributed over 100 poems to the exhibition.

The poems are presented in collaboration with Shonna McDaniels, Founder and Director of Sacramento’s Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum, an institution that preserves Black history and celebrates the accomplishments of African American people and their legacy.