Maxine E. Davis
Augusta Savage was a world-famous African-American sculptor. Born in Florida, she had her first formal art training in New York City at Cooper Union, the school recommended to her by Solon Gorglum. While she studied, she supported herself by doing odd jobs, including clerking and working in laundries. In 1926 she exhibited her work at the Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia. That same year she was awarded a scholarship to study in Rome. However, she was unable to accept the award because she could not raise the money she would have needed to live there. Later, she did study in Europe.
When she returned to the United States, she exhibited her work at several important galleries. In addition to her own work, Augusta Savage taught art classes in Harlem. During the Depression, she helped African- American artists to enroll in the Works Progress Administration arts project. Throughout her career, she was an active spokesperson for African-American artists in the United States. She also was one of the principal organizers of the Harlem Artists Guild.
