On Saturday, Richard Lawson And Tina Knowles Lawson kicked off their inaugural Wearable Art Gala at the California African American Museum (CAAM) in Los Angeles. The husband and wife duo, both artists in their own right, bring their respective expertise as a master acting teacher and acclaimed fashion designer to the establishment of the newly minted WACO Theater Center, an art and performance hub 'where art can occur.' "The purpose of this endeavor is empowering people to gain the skills and ability to identify and pursue their dreams no matter who they are or where they came from." says Tina Knowles Lawson. "It is also to give both professional and non-professional actors, artists and youth a place to celebrate their own talent and artistry." Richard Lawson adds, "WACO is our dream come true."
Of course, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles, Bianca Lawson and Kelly Rowland, the Gala's Honorary Chairpersons, came through in their wearable art to bless the charitable event with pure glamour.
When Felicia Horowitz, human rights activist and founder of the Horowitz Family Foundation, stepped on the red carpet donning a stunning retro cut dress, she did so with dual purpose. Aside from slaying in the lovely period piece, in an Instagram post, Horowitz made clear her goal to pay homage to "great women of color who pioneered the way for me to believe in myself."
"Through, art, mentorship and a beautiful designed, well-structured program, WACO provides tremendous hope to those who have none," Horowitz wrote. The design, which features images of several trailblazing black women who have shaped history, aligns perfectly with the mission of the foundation. Horowitz's vision was perfectly executed in record timing by designer Tashiba Jones-Wilson, who galvanized her team around the project.
So, who are the notable black women whose faces grace the beautiful work of wearable art?
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Henrietta Lacks – The black woman whose cancer cells were the source of the first immortalized cell line and one of the most important in medical research.
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Maya Angelou – Poet, playwright, author, actress, activist, speaker and American icon whose award-winning works and wise words continue to influence culture.
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Rosa Parks – Widely recognized as "the mother of the freedom movement," this civil rights activist staged the one-woman sit-in that catapulted the Civil Rights Movement and changed the course of American history.
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Harriet Tubman – Abolitionist, humanitarian, and spy for the United States Army during the American Civil War, Tubman lead nearly 70 slaves to freedom through a series of networks known as the Underground Railroad.
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Madame CJ Walker – By creating and marketing her own line of beauty and hair products for black women, this entrepreneur and philanthropist carved out a space in history as the first female self-made millionaire in America.
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Lena Horne – Jazz singer, dancer, actress, and civil rights activist, Lena Horne will forever be known as a legendary symbol of old Hollywood glamor and one of the first black woman sex symbols.
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Hattie McDaniels – Stage actress, professional singer-songwriter, and comedian, Hattie McDaniels was the first black woman to win an Academy Award.
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Josephine Baker – World-famous entertainer, dancer, and major motion picture star, Josephine Baker unapologetically owned her sexuality and boldly stood against racial discrimination.
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Ruby Bridges – The first black child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis in 1960, Ruby Bridges was forever immortalized in Norman Rockwell's famous painting, "The Problem We All Live With."
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Mary McLeod Bethune – Educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian and civil rights activist, Mary McLeod Bethune's private school for African-American students still stands to this day as a respected HBCU in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Fannie Lou Hamer – Voting rights activist, a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and philanthropist, Fannie Lou Hamer risked her life to fight for civil rights in Mississippi.
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Shirley Chisholm – The first black woman elected to the United States Congress, politician, educator and author Shirley Chisholm paved the way for black women in politics.
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Coretta Scott King – The wife of civil rights icon, Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott was a dynamic activist in her own right. The author, activist, and thought leader worked for equality for all people up to the end of her life.
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Ida B. Wells – journalist, newspaper editor, civil and women's right's activists, Ida B. Wells was one of the earliest and most outspoken advocates for human rights.
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Sojourner Truth – An escaped slave, abolitionist and women's rights activist, Sojourner Truth became the first black woman to win a case against a white man when she sued for the freedom of her son.
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Dame Eugenia Charles – As Prime Minister of Dominica, Dame Eugenia Charles was the first, and to date only, female prime minister of the nation.
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Ella Fitzgerald – often referred to as the 'First Lady of Song,' Lady Ella's impeccable diction, and pure tone made her a jazz sensation and an American treasure.
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Dorothy Dandridge – An American film and theater actress, singer, and dancer, Dorothy Dandridge was best the first African-American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
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Aretha Franklin – Vocalist, songwriter and musician, Aretha Franklin is widely acclaimed as the greatest soul singer of our time.
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Leontyne Price – The acclaimed soprano reached international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s as one of the first African-American's to become a leading artist with the Metropolitan Opera.
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Althea Gibson – American tennis player and professional golfer, Althea Gibson was the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title.
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Marie M Daly – Biochemist, Marie Maynard Daly was the first Black American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry.
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Phillis Wheatley – Born in West Africa, sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight, and transported to North America, Phillis Wheatley became the first published African-American Poet
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Loraine Hansberry – Renowned playwright, Lorraine Vivian Hansberry was the first black woman to write a play Broadway play.
Kudos to these talented black women! And, congratulations to Richard Lawson And Tina Knowles Lawson for raising nearly $1 million toward inspiring the next generation of creatives.
Photo: Giphy
