Expressing the sense of Congress that Romare Howard Bearden should be recognized as one of the preeminent artists of the 20th century for his artistic genius and visual creativity in the depiction of the complexity and richness of African American life in the United States.

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 297 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 297

Expressing the sense of Congress that Romare Howard Bearden should be
recognized as one of the preeminent artists of the 20th century for his
artistic genius and visual creativity in the depiction of the
complexity and richness of African American life in the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 8, 2003

Mr. Rangel submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that Romare Howard Bearden should be
recognized as one of the preeminent artists of the 20th century for his
artistic genius and visual creativity in the depiction of the
complexity and richness of African American life in the United States.

Whereas Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 2,
1911, and migrated with his family to New York City around 1914 during
the Great Migration north;
Whereas Romare Bearden graduated from New York University, studied at the Art
Students League, and joined the Harlem Artists Guild, continuing his
lifelong study of art;
Whereas Romare Bearden became a prolific artist whose oeuvre of approximately
2,000 known works employed various mediums including paintings,
drawings, watercolors, monotypes, edition prints, photographs, wood
sculpture, designs for record albums, costumes, stage sets, book
illustrations, and most notably collage;
Whereas Romare Bearden spent much of his life in New York, in which he was
fascinated by the intricacies of street life, especially in Harlem,
which he mirrored in many of his works including The Street (1964), The
Block II (1972), Profile/Part II, the Thirties: Artist with Painting and
Model (1981);
Whereas Romare Bearden's extraordinary success as an artist was recognized with
his first solo exhibit in 1940 in Harlem and was succeeded by numerous
exhibits throughout the United States and Europe;
Whereas Romare Bearden enlisted in the United States Army in 1942 and was
assigned to the First Headquarters, Fifteenth Regiment, the all-black
372d Infantry Division and was later honorably discharged whereupon he
returned to New York to join the prestigious Samuel Kootz Gallery in
Manhattan;
Whereas beginning in 1952 Romare Bearden maintained a full-time position with
the Department of Social Services for 14 years during which he continued
to pursue his artistic passion in his spare time until he was able to
sustain himself and his family through the sale of his artwork;
Whereas Romare Bearden was appointed in 1964 as the first Art Director of the
newly established Harlem Cultural Council, a prominent African American
advocacy group with several hundred members;
Whereas Romare Bearden documented the history of African American artists
whereby he coorganized ``The Evolution of Afro-American Artists: 1800-
1950'' exhibit in 1967 at the City College of New York which included
150 works by 55 black artists providing a retrospective of African
American work;
Whereas Romare Bearden was an educator, historian, theorist, and a benefactor
who helped young African American artists establish their careers
whereby in 1969 he cofounded the Cinque Gallery in New York City to
provide a space for young minority painters and curators to display
their work and gain experience in the art world;
Whereas Romare Bearden indulged his musical and literary inclinations by
coauthoring 4 books and cofounding the Bluebird Music Company in which
he went on to compose the lyrics for 20 songs;
Whereas Romare Bearden was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters,
the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and received numerous awards
and honors including the prestigious Mayor's Award of Honor for art and
culture and the President's National Medal of Arts from President Ronald
Reagan in 1987; and
Whereas Romare Bearden died in 1988 leaving an artistic legacy which includes
130 works currently on exhibit at the National Gallery of Arts: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of Congress that the internationally renowned
artist Romare Bearden should be honored for his contributions to the
collective American aesthetic anthology which reflect the complexity
and richness of African American life in the United States.
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