Charles Henry Alston (1907 - 1977) was an illustrator, painter, muralist, and sculptor. Before the age of 3, Alston’s father died, prompting his mother to move the family to New York; where she would later marry Harry Bearden (uncle to artist Romare Bearden). As a child, Alston’s stepping stone into the field of art was spending time in North Carolina where he would become fascinated by the red clay that surrounded him. His experimentation blossomed into his studies where he would attend Columbia University, and take several art courses. He later received his B.A. from Columbia, before attending New York University where he received his M.A. During his years at NYU, Alston also taught at the Harlem Community Art Center, Harlem Art Workshop, where he would come across and mentor young artists such as Jacob Lawrence. He later taught at Pennsylvania State University before becoming an associate professor of painting at The City University of New York. Aside from teaching, Alston dabbled in all sectors of art, from working as a Muralist for the WPA during the Great Depression to creating commercial art such as advertisements, record covers, and cartoons. Alston’s works gained recognition in the ’50s when one of his paintings was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Afterward, he not only landed several exhibitions at major galleries and institutions across the United States but also became the first African American instructor at the Museum of Modern Art. The Museum and the U.S State Department would send him to Belgium on their behalf to coordinate the children’s creative center for the Brussels World’s Fair.
Although Alston had gained both National and International acclaim, Alston never stopped advocating for and inspiring young artists, especially African American artists. Late in his career, a few years before his death Alston helped to co-found Spiral, a collective of artists who worked to address the issues within society and the fields of art faced by many African American Artists of the time. On April 27, 1977, Charles Alston died in New York City, leaving behind works that can still be seen across the globe to this day and a legacy of impact and advocacy with all facets of art.