Feminist to Know: Augusta Savage

Augusta Savage was an influential sculptor, advocate, and teacher, who was shaped by––and helped to shape––the Harlem Renaissance. Savage was born on Leap Day in 1892 in Green Cove Springs, Florida. She established herself in New York City during the peak of the Harlem Renaissance, making a name for herself as a portrait sculptor. Savage left her mark by completing busts of important Black leaders, including W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey.

From the 1930s and on, Savage was recognized not only as a great sculptor but also as a great teacher and community arts leader. She was a mentor to many in her roles as founder of the Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts, the first Black member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, and the first director of the Harlem Community Art Center. Around this time, Savage created her largest work (in both size and commission): The Harp. The piece took two years to create and stood at sixteen feet high. Uniting themes of christianity, gospel, and a Black collective, The Harp was a stunning feat and received much critical acclaim. Sadly, without funds to store it, The Harp was demolished after appearing in the 1939 New York World’s Fair for which it was commissioned.

Savage passed away in relative obscurity in March 1962, and to this day she is not given the credit or spotlight she deserves. Much of her sculptures have been lost and/or demolished, despite being great works of art, monuments to their time, and important reminders of our nation’s history. Augusta Savage not only used clay to build testaments to Black history and the Harlem Renaissance, but she also built the infrastructure to train and raise up new Black sculptors. Her legacy, though continually erased and unacknowledged, lives on.