Venturer Spotlight: Edmonia Lewis

Venturers

Sep 11

The Venturer Spotlight is our ongoing series highlighting women whose stories deserve to be retold, as often and loudly as possible.

These are women who’ve chosen to live passionately, and to continue to question, challenge, and venture out with bravery and curiosity in whatever field or circumstance they found themselves in. These are our role models, and the women we want to be when we grow up.

HERE’S WHY WE LOVE HER…

Edmonia was the first professional African-American and Native-American sculptor.

She was born free in New York in 1844, and before the Civil War she had already pushed through a hell of a lot of racism and sexism to get an education, artistic training, and eventually a one-way ticket to Rome. Once she left the US, she was able to carve out an incredible life for herself as an expatriate artist; sculpting celebrities and abolitionists, and always pushing to be valued for her talent and skill above all else.