In 2023, we launched a library card art contest celebrating African Americans and the Arts in Oakland.
Local artists of all ages were asked to submit artwork that reflects a deep love for Oakland’s icons, legends and history makers in music, dance, theater, visual arts and literature.
We're grateful to have so many talented artists in our community and we were honored to see all of the beautiful submissions to the contest!
Please accept this online exhibition of the 39 finalists as a thank you to every participating artist for their creative efforts, talent and love for Oakland.
By Category
Click image to view larger size. Hover over image to view excerpts of artist statements. Artist names are included in the albums featured at the bottom of this page.
Visual Arts
“...African Americans have a very long history of creating murals, beginning in ancient Africa to the United States, to tell a story and history that often does not appear in history books. Many of the murals here are created by Oakland based African American artists and or can be found across the city.
*Quilting is a practice among African Americans, originating in Africa of using fabric remnants to create something original. The images collected here reflect the tradition of quilting, using collected digital images in place of fabric.”
“...This is a canvas piece with acrylic paint. Her head wrap symbolizes knowledge and power within black feminism. While her arms being out in front of her, out of view, symbolizes the never ending support and cultural hospitality that goes unnoticed in my home town of Oakland California. The irony of this piece is in fact it was not made in Oakland but else where while I desired to be at home here in Oakland, surrounded by all the cultural healing that it provides me. To be Made in Oakland is to be made with honor, pride, and dignity. To be Made In Oakland is to see with your eyes and feel with your soul. To be made in Oakland is to have a never ending impact on the community in which you call home. I was Made In Oakland, what will YOU Make of Oakland?”
“Portrait of the beautiful Kara Walker whose contribution to the world featuring " mammies, pickaninnies, sambos, and other brutal stereotypes in a host of situations that are frequently violent and sexual in nature. Initial audiences condemned her work as obscenely offensive, and the art world was divided about what to do. Was this a step backward or forward for racial politics? Several decades later, Walker continues to make audacious, challenging statements with her art."
“In the age of digital art it gave me a place to be creative. My love for art starting in Oakland Public School System.at Ralph J. Bunch & De Fremery Park in the 70’s I learn about African Dancing, African Art, The Black Panthers Rallies. As a young child i lived around the corner from so when i heard the bull horns and the music i was ready to go I got may of butt whippings from going to the park and rallies without permission but everyone in the neighborhood knew who I was and made sure that I was Okay but this is where I learned the love of African American Visual Art & Pottery. To I’m 60 years old and live in Virginia Retired and Disabled and Art became therapy for me so i started on canvas and turn to digital art i download an app and started creating digital art and my remembrance and love for Africa I started designing Urban Art Therapy Art. So I call this piece Africa On My Mind!”
"This drawing is a visual representation of one of Audre Lorde's most famous quotes. In Sister Outsider, she writes, ‘[T]he transformation of silence into language and actions is an act of self-revelation.’ Although this quote is focused on writing, it can easily apply to all of the expressive forms through which Oakland's Black artists chronicle the people and places that shape our present and the hopes and values that shape our Black futures. The figures' rightward facing pose reflects the progress of Black movements for change. My choice to feature Black women is a nod to the centrality of women and femmes in both anti-racist organizing and Black literature around the globe. The medium is ink and digital collage on paper.”
“[...] For my submission, I drew Emory in his ‘style’ and utilized his use of typography, visuals, and collages to highlight his past and recent works, and emulating the printmaking-esque of his body of work. I chose to include his quote "everything is designed not neutral" as it continues to be a relevant message to this day. Thank you.”
"’One Day I will know your name’ is a deeply personal and meaningful piece of artwork to me. It represents my strong connection to the Oakland community and serves as a visual tribute to the African diaspora and the lasting impact of the Middle Passage. Through its vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and symbolic imagery, this artwork encapsulates the essence of those individuals whose names have been lost to history. [...]
Through my artwork and community engagement, I strive to honor the forgotten names of the past and uplift the voices of those who have been historically silenced.”
“There are many galleries and historical artists with fancy descriptions, but the main way I see artists display their artistic talent is through graffiti. This piece displays the buildings of Oakland that are most significant to me - the ones I see most often in my everyday life: the Tribune Tower, the FOX theatre sign, and the Oakland Federal Building.”
“[...] My artwork pays homage to the indelible legacy of Clarence Robbs, a pivotal figure in Oakland's graffiti history. Known as Cuba, Robbs was a trailblazer who brought authentic East Coast piecing styles to the Bay Area, leaving an indelible mark on the local art scene. His contributions extended beyond the streets, as he played a vital role in numerous mural projects that enriched Oakland's cultural landscape. Tragically, we lost this visionary artist in 2021, but his influence continues to resonate. I hope my submission reflects the profound impact Cuba had on our community and serves as a fitting tribute to his enduring legacy.”
“In this piece, I drew the artist known as ‘Joonbug’ who is a Visual Artist based in Oakland.”
"I personally have always loved the Afrofuturistic artwork of Joshua Mays, and his murals are around my school so I had a lot of material to work with.”
“I was inspired by the Jean Michel Basquiat, his abstract and stunning style, something that was very fresh when he started to get famous. I was also inspired by his crown monogram and worked that into my piece. I was reading that he was a graffiti artist at one point and I think graffiti art can be a way for youth to express their form of art in urban areas such as Oakland. Jean Michel Basquiat inspired many artists around the world. When you first look at his art you may think it has many jumbled images but in fact those images reflect emotions and messages of injustice. His art spoke to many people.”
“This card shows that Black people are bold. Black artists can make art anywhere, on faces, bodies, canvas or paper, and they can withstand any challenges that come their way.”
Hip-Hop 50th Aniversary
"[...] My card design tries to honor that by visual representing the four core elements. The microphone which makes up the “i” in “Hip” is for Emceeing. The hand scratching the record for the “o” in “Hop” is for Deejaying. All of the words are stylized graphically as a nod to Graffiti Art. And Break-dancing is shown by the small figures that come off the boombox. At first glance, the figures might appear as musical notes but I wanted to play off the idea that break dancers embody the music themselves with their impressive moves. Knowledge is also expressed by the graphics coming off the microphone. One last element I added is the forward and rewind icons in the two “p”s. They are meant to acknowledge that we should always pay homage to where we came from while we keep going towards our future...”
“My submission is a depiction of Oakland's own Tupac Shakur paying homage to a Spiderman comic book cover by artist Todd McFarlane. Both instrumental in my upbringing, Bay Area rap music and comic books can connect with listeners and viewers by utilizing the art of storytelling. Tupac's timeless music continues to spark the brains and minds that will change the world. Here is my contribution.”
“Evans was born and raised in Oakland, California. She was briefly in the early 1990s R&B group Emage. Her first notable film role was in the 2010 romantic comedy Just Wright starring Queen Latifah. In 2012, she appeared in musical film Sparkle. Her other film credits include He's Mine Not Yours (2011), David E. Talbert's Suddenly Single (2012), Black Coffee (2014), The Man in 3B (2015), and the leading role in You Can't Fight Christmas (2017)..."
“My submission is an homage to the rich Hip Hop legacy in Oakland California. Hip Hop music has employed, inspired, and enriched the African American community over the past 50 years and my design lists many of the artists with Oakland roots who have made significant contributions to the culture.”
“My art is made from pieces of newspaper and magazines around Oakland that I found. Like Tupac once said he gives all the credit to Oakland because he got the game from Oakland. It was like a spiritual awakening when he came to Oakland he received the game , that’s how my submission is connected. Tupac is legendary and he is the definition of African American and the arts in Oakland.
I’m a Oakland native who received some much game from peers , youth, and street mentors.”
“I’ve always loved MC Hammers music since I was a little boy from the first time my parents played U Can’t Touch This. I love his music and I love how good of representation he is for a successful person from Oakland.”
“In my piece, I wanted to incorporate some of the ‘aesthetic’ features of black culture such as Grillz jewelry, acrylics bamboo earrings our flag, basically, incorporating a lot of things that people nowadays steal from black culture and try to re-branded as their own.”
“This card represents Black sibblinghood and unity.This drawing has two black girls with twists. The twists are going into each other's head, and they don't have a beginning or an end, representing how the bond is unbreakable.”
“I love hip hop as someone who grew up in Oakland. It really shines in people life and I find it really special.”
“This is a piece sketched out traditionally and then finished digitally! The person in the picture is del the funky Homosapien or also known as the lead man of Hieroglyphics a Oakland rap collective from the 90’s!”
“I wanted to use the silhouette of a hip hop dancer and I wanted to do the background as graffiti because I feel like graffiti plays a big part in black art and music and also expression”
“i drew a music drawing because of the music and dances african american people do/make :)”
Literature & Poetry
"Oakland Zips -- is a play on words: It's in homage to the city's vibrant arts culture and a marker of places that shaped my artistic journey.
A Bay Area native, I grew up in Oakland and attended schools, from elementary through college, in landscapes, neighborhoods and buildings that have radically changed physically and often in title, but what hasn't changed is those zip codes -- 94621, 94611, 94619 and 94606. From age seven on, the Martin Luther King, Jr Library, 94621, within walking distance from school and home, was one of my favorite places to hang out. It was where I first learned of Black history and read books that sparked my imagination and creative dreams, especially the arts programming, which was rich, including the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, 92612, founded by my geometry teacher, Mary Perry Smith, where I was a volunteer and interviewed Clarence Muse, one of the first inductees; the Oakland Museum, 94607, where I was a docent; the Oakland Ensemble Theatre, 94612, where, under the tutelage of artistic director Sandra Richardson, I interned during college; and Mills College, 94606, where I earned my master's degree, and wrote my thesis on Ghana's contemporary art and artists. In every city, state and country where I've lived, I've found a home at the public library, a place that fuels my imagination and creativity. And, it all started in 94621.”
“Poetry has the power to define, defend and describe. Poetry has given expression to the trials and the triumphs of African American people. With poetry we continue to encourage and celebrate ourselves and all the brilliance we give to our communities and the world!
Poetry for the People honors the voices of the poets that speak on pages and those that speak theirs words out loud. Poetry is a powerful art form that will not be denied.”
“My submission is dedicated the ongoing liberating act of being a Black artist in the Bay and in today’s environment. The role means keeping a balancing of between making art, resting, and being with/fighting for community. This piece is a dedication to that practice I hold for myself and an homage to all the other surviving creatives out there. The color way of PanAfrican flag and the book ‘How We Get Free’ both give nods to the collective Black journey while the resting figure shows the need to take care of self.”
“When I first thought about doing a piece of art with African American culture I thought of the Black Panther Party. I remembered learning about Emory Douglas, who made the art in the BP newspaper. So I combined my favorite Black Panther, Angela Davis, who is an author, with the art style of Douglas, making a few changes of my own to create this library card. I hope you like it.”
“Angela Davis has a deep connection to Oakland as an activist, writer and professor. I felt inspired after hearing her speak about the Israel-Palestine war so I wanted to draw her for this library card.”
"My submission shows 3 women of the Black Panther Party who were artists, Elaine Brown, Joan Tarika Lewis, and Ericka Huggins. Elaine Brown is a writer and singer. Joan Tarika Lewis is a writer, visual artist, and musician. Ericka Huggins is a poet.
“The title of my work, Knowledge Is Power, serves as a tribute to the Oakland Public Library, our esteemed African-American authors, and the black community in Oakland. In honor of our black authors, my piece showcases influential black leaders and writers and their profound impact on black youth. A young black female, inspired by these authors and surrounded by literary icons like W.E.B. Du Bois and Maya Angelou, stands confidently and proudly with a black power fist raised above her head. Her KNOWLEDGE IS POWER shirt complements the image, expressing her pride in her leaders and heritage.
The bookshelf showcases works from Dr.Claud Anderson to Black Women in Tech, embracing the rich intelligence of African-American literature. Encapsulating the strength of diverse voices, emphasizing the power of knowledge and community in the pursuit of gaining an understanding. My hope is that it pays homage to the heritage and perseverance of African Americans while asserting the importance of inclusivity and enlightenment from our past and present-day leaders. And, hopefully, inspire African-American youth and Oaklanders in general to read.”
"For this piece I wanted to express beauty and acknowledge these books. Though each book has sensitive topics, Its impact is most important. It acknowledges what happens and have happened to African Americans in everyday life. These books being books I have read in school. It makes me really happy that we, students in Oakland, are still able to be taught from these books. My English teacher telling me about book banning in schools and how some schools ban books and especially books like these. I wanted to bring light and show the beauty to the books as seen with the bright, colorful foliage and flowers surrounding the book titles. In hopes to show how amazing it is that books like this exist to educate people on situations like these.”
Music
"[...] I created this art ‘African American musicians’ to celebrate African American music. I like music too! I play piano and Thai dulcimer in my free time. I am interested in music and people. Because music is universal, it can bring people closer. My mom told me that African-American musicians also played in movements for equality and justice. No matter who you are...we are brother and sister, we should treat people with respect.”
"Kehlani is an artsit that I look up to and even attended and graduated from my school, OSA. She has come to visit and I have even gotten the chance to meet her, she is truly kind and always shows loves to Oakland.”
"I picked to paint Billie Holiday because of the large impact that jazz had on the African American community and how much jazz used to be performed in Oakland.”
Performing Arts
“My submission is based off of Zendaya. She was in Oakland for high school. She is an extremely successful artist.”
“My card design honors black actors from Oakland that are thriving across theater, television and film. The performers on my card collectively have 2 Academy Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 3 primetime Emmy awards and a Tony award! Daveed Diggs, Mahershala Ali, and Zendaya are living black history and I celebrate them and their work with this submission -may the next generation be inspired ◡̈”
By age
Adults
Children
Teens
Questions? Contact Tarshel Beards, Community Relations Manager
