Photographer Kwame Brathwaite, known for ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement, passes away at age 85

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Kwame Brathwaite, the iconic activist and photographer known for shaping the aesthetics of the “Black is Beautiful” movement in the ’60s, passed away at the age of 85 on April 1. His legacy lives on through his captivating work that has recently captivated the interest of curators, historians, and collectors alike.

His son, Kwame Brathwaite, Jr., shared the sad news of his father’s passing on Instagram, paying homage to the patriarch of their family. Brathwaite’s journey from being born to Barbadian immigrants in Brooklyn to leaving a lasting impact on the world of photography is a testament to his exceptional talent.

Using a Hasselblad medium-format camera, Brathwaite captured iconic jazz legends such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane in the ’50s and ’60s. He continued to push boundaries by forming the Grandassa Models alongside AJASS in the early ’60s to challenge prevailing beauty norms.

With a strong focus on showcasing the beauty of Black culture, Brathwaite’s work evolved over the years, immortalizing music icons like Nina Simone and Bob Marley. Even in his later years, he carried on photographing, embracing the essence of “Black is Beautiful.”

In 2019, Brathwaite’s work was honored with a major retrospective debut at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, highlighting his immense contribution to the world of photography. His legacy lives on through exhibitions like “Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For” at the Art Institute of Chicago.

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