Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter interview transcript, 2021-09-16

Item

Identifier: dcpl_dcohc039_01_tra.pdf

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

D.C. Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) is a citywide initiative to train community members in oral history skills, fund new and ongoing oral history projects, connect volunteers with oral history projects, and publicize existing oral history collections. DCOHC is a project of DC Public Library, HumanitiesDC, and the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. This collection contains oral history interviews, transcripts, and indexes produced by DCOHC grantees.

Dates

Creation: 2021-09-16

Biographical / Historical

Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, a mixed-media artist was born and raised in Philadelphia. After graduating from Temple University and working as an art educator in Philadelphia public schools, she moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University where she received her MFA. She lived in New York for several years working as an art educator and arts administrator at Parsons School of Design. She printed lithographs at Robert Blackburn Print Workshop and was active in 'Where We At' Black women artists. Gibson-Hunter moved back to Washington, D.C. in 1987. She has taught printmaking at Howard University and Bowie State University. She cofounded Black Artists of D.C. along with Viola Leak and Planta Reeder in 1999.

Extent

From the Collection: 1.13 Terabytes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, a mixed-media artist, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In this interview, she describes her professional journey and commitment to engage the Black community in its cultural legacy and provide support and resources to the Black arts community. Gibson-Hunter reflects on how her childhood experiences (such as forming The Colored Children’s Club and teaching her friends art) began a personal relationship with museums and efforts to make art accessible to the Black community. As a community builder she founded Black Artists of D.C. along with Viola Leak and Planta Reeder 21 years ago.