According to the Smithsonian Archives of American Art Delilah W. Pierce was to exhibit at The National Women’s Caucus for Art – College Art Association’s Annual meeting in 1979. Emily Martin and Tritobia Benjamin were the co-curators. However, do to the lack of funding the exhibition was cancelled. Learn More: Artists’ files for exhibition of African-American women artists, 1969-1978.
Delilah W. Pierce was a very active artist, curator, and educator. One of her talks was promoted in The Washingtonian Magazine in 1985. Learn More: The Washingtonian, Volume 20.
Delilah W. Pierce led by example and was an advocate for lifting up underserved communities. That’s why she was a fierce supporter of The Anacostia Neighborhood Museum. According to the Smithsonian Institution Archives:
The Anacostia Neighborhood Museum opened on September 15, 1967, in the historic Carver Theater in Anacostia, Washington, DC, as a “store-front museum” to reach underserved communities. In 1987, the museum relocated to a new building at 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC. In 2006, it was renamed the Anacostia Community Museum.
Delilah W. Pierce regularly exhibited from 1968 to 1989 (Click to view Delilah’s list of exhibitions). The program from the 1974-1975 exhibition may be viewed by clicking: Delilah W. Pierce’s Artwork Featured In Exhibition 1974-75 At the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum-Smithsonian Institution.
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Delilah W. Pierce was very active in her sorority. In 1952 she was listed as a delegate at the 1952 conclave.
Click to view: Delegates Listed.
Delilah W. Pierce was not only an artist, she was an activist, educator and community leader. Ms. Pierce believed in supporting historically black institutions. She had exhibitions at the Howard University Gallery in 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1976. Delilah W. Pierce’s Gay Head Cliffs is among their permanent collection. Visit the Howard University Gallery as soon as you can!
Author Helen Tierney published a cannon of female African American painters. In her anthology she covered the wider expressions of African American female artists. Delilah W. Pierce was included in the cannon. Ms. Tierney explored some of the core “emotions” of African American art: celebration, grief, anger, and pride. Check out Helen Tierney’s The Women’s Studies Encyclopedia.
Delilah W. Pierce dedicated her life to fighting for equal rights for women, equal education, and fairness for people of color. Her art expressed that notion. Author Robert Henkes created a cannon for African American women artists and their expressions.
From the pages of The Art of Black Women:
African American women artists have fought both racism and prejudice. Their works, remarkably varied in style, expression and medium, reflect the sensitivity and integrity that is, in part, a product of this struggle. The art of 24 African American women are examined: Lois Mailou Jones, Shirley Woodson, Howardena Pindell, Vivian Browne, Norma Morgan, Freida High W. Tesfagiorgis, Elizabeth Catlett, Jewel Simon, Faith Ringgold, Emma Amos, Robin Holder, Cynthia Hawkins, Camille Billops, Delilah Pierce, Yvonne Catchings, Gilda Snowden, Malkia Roberts, Ann Tanksley, Alma Woodsey Thomas, Clementine Hunter, Viola Burley Leak, Mary Reed Daniel, Adell Westbrook, and Nanette Carter. Their work is allied to various schools of art, from expressionism to realism.
Find out how you can read Robert Henkes book The Art of Black American Women: Works of Twenty-four Artists of The Twentieth Century
The Washington Water Color Association is holding its Spring Art Exhibition from March 5 to May 31 2013 at the Woman’s National Democratic Club. Delilah was an active member during her life and regularly exhibited. Delilah W. Pierce served as their Vice President 1974 ‑ 1976, Treasurer 1978 to 1983, Board Member 1974 ‑ 1983, Elected Honorary Member and Exhibits Chairman in 1983.
In 1983 the Evan-Tibbs Collection published Richard Dempsey, Lois Jones, Delilah Pierce, James Porter, Alma Thomas, James Wells: Six Washington Masters. This book was thought to have revived the careers for many of the artists included in the book.
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In 1971 Delilah W. Pierce gave a talk at the Harvard Club of Cape Cod (formerly Harvard Radcliffe Club of Cape Cod) in Hyannis, MA. Jet magazine featured her in their Remembrances From Oak Bluffs section. This was very big news in New England.
Update 9/2019 – Great-great nephew Stephen McDow, made a second attempt to contact Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute. Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin responded by having her executive assistant, Dawn Ling assist Stephen with rediscovering official archives from the event. Dawn connected Stephen with Sarah Hutcheon and Bailey Culpepper of the Schlesinger Library. Sarah pulled several documents. Sarah told Stephen there was a brief mention in the December 1971 Radcliffe Quarterly (linked below) in the left-hand column:
The Radcliffe (Quarterly). Cambridge, Mass., Radcliffe College. 1971
Sarah also looked into the Radcliffe College Alumnae Association club files for Cape Cod, “and found that the talk by Delilah Pierce occurred August 1971 at the Waquoit Congregational Church on Route 28 between Mashpee Rotary and Falmouth.” Sarah found the meeting program and notice along with three small news clippings announcing the talk – which also included a headshot:
RadcliffeAlumnaeAssociation_RGIX_CapeCodRadcliffeClub_09 18 2019
Many thanks to Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Radcliffe Institute, and the Schlesinger Library.
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Delilah W. Pierce