Charles Alston Biography

Charles Henry Alston was a reputed African American painter, sculptor, and an illustrator born in the early 20th century. He is best known for the sculpture of Martin Luther King he created in the 1970s which was put up at the White house in 1990. The bust is known for being the first sculpture by an African American to be displayed there. Alston was also deeply influenced by the civil rights movement of the 20th century. He created many works just in black and white, so that racial unity could be expressed through his works. He also helped bridging the gap between the African artists and the other artists of America. Several Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera and José Clementa Orozco, all of whom used murals as a tool for social activism, heavily inspired Alston. He is also credited for enriching the cultural life of Harlem, the city where he worked and lived. Alston is remembered for experimenting with different kinds of styles. Firstly he experimented with negative forms and organic space; after that, he focused on creating modernist styled paintings. He also focused on mural work, and created artwork for several places like the Harlem Hospital and Golden State American Museum of Natural History.