David C. Driskell (1931–2020)

Early life and professional identity

Born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1931, Driskell trained as an artist and later built a career that blended studio practice with academic leadership. He is widely described as an artist and as a scholar who documented overlooked histories in American art. For decades he taught, mentored students and advised museums while developing his own work in painting, collage and print media.

Career and contributions

Driskell served as a professor and later as professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he helped expand curricula and public programs on Black art. He curated influential exhibitions that brought broader attention to African-American artists, most notably a 1976 survey that many consider a turning point for museum representation. His academic essays and exhibition catalogues provided historical context and advocacy for artists who had been marginalized.

Style, themes and practice

As a maker, Driskell worked across media. His paintings and prints often combined abstraction and figuration, and drew on African motifs, vernacular sources and musical rhythms. Critics and colleagues noted his interest in cultural memory and in connecting contemporary practice to diasporic traditions. His studio work remained important to him even as his curatorial and teaching responsibilities grew.

Honors and legacy

In 2000 Driskell was honored by President Bill Clinton with the National Humanities Medal, recognizing his impact on American cultural life. He received numerous accolades, honorary degrees and institutional tributes over his long career. The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park was established to preserve collections, host exhibitions and support research into African diaspora art and culture.

Death and ongoing influence

David C. Driskell died on April 1, 2020 at a hospital in Hyattsville, Maryland. His death was reported as due to COVID-19. He left behind a body of artwork, a record of exhibitions and writing, and an institutional legacy that continues to promote scholarship and public access to African-American art. Museums, scholars and artists continue to cite his work as foundational to contemporary understandings of American art history.

• Roles: artist, curator, educator, historian
• Institutional base: University of Maryland, College Park
• Representative recognition: National Humanities Medal, 2000