Introduction of Augusta Savage and Overview

Augusta Savage was born on February 29, 1892 in Florida and died in March of 1962. She later moved to New York. Savage was an African American woman, art teacher and advocate for African Americans in the arts. She was an artist herself, specifically a ceramicist, and began her career as a teen, teaching sculpting in high school. She then went on to attend Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. She was up against 142 male applicants and was still accepted, and then graduated a year early. Other notable life accomplishments include opening her own studio, Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts, in 1934, which later became the Harlem Community Art Center. Now that we are in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance, we see a big difference between Savage and Davidson. Savage seemed to be more accepted and seen as more than just a woman who only fulfilled “womanly” duties, unlike Davidson. Savage was also an artist, educator, and activist. Her work was documented and validated many times, such as when she was still accepted to college when her overwhelmingly large number of male competitors were also a factor, as well as when she created her own studio that did so well that it became the Harlem Community Art Center.