Founded in 1999 The National Alliance of Artists from Historical Black Colleges and Universities (NAAHBCU) mission is to bring Art and Art Education to the forefront, provide expressive dialogue, opportunities to exhibit, and educate the populous through the visual arts. NAAHBCU was founded during the summer of 1999 on the campus of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr. Lee Ransaw, then Dean of Arts and Letters, and Chair of the Fine Arts Department, and thirteen Charter Members.

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The first officers of the organization were elected from this founding group: Dr. Lee Ransaw (President) Morris Brown College, Atlanta, GA.; Dr. Peggy Blood (Treasurer), Professor and Chair of Fine Art’s Department, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA.; Phillip R. Dotson (Vice President), Professor of Art and Program Director, LeMoyne Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee; Marvettee Pratt Aldridge (Secretary), Assistant Professor of Art, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina; Professor William Anderson, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA.; Professor Hassan Kirkland, Johnson C. Smith University.

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The National Alliance of Students Artists from Historical Black Colleges and Universities (NASAHBCU) was established November 4, 2016, its first president was Kayla Grayson, student, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA, and DaRon Spence., Vice president from N Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N.C. NASAHBCU first meeting and official organizational exhibition was at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville N.C. 

 

In 2000 The National Alliance of Artists first exhibition, conference, and student workshops was held at h Morris Brown college, Atlanta GA., and NAAHBCU first traveling exhibition 2002 was entitled “Visions from Within” at the James Kemp Gallery at The Black Academy of Arts & Letters in Dallas Texas. This remarkable exhibit allowed more than 30 member artists to make expressive statements using their craftmanship and placed some of them on the national stage for the first time. In 2004-5 the exhibition “Visions from Within” traveled to The APEX Museum in Atlanta, GA; The National Center for the Study of Civil Rights at Alabama State University in Montgomery and the. Arthur Rose Museum at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Another important thematic exhibit entitled “Prevalence of Rutual” traveled to West Virginia State University , CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA and African American Charlotte, N. C.; Associate Professor Charmelle Holloway, Spellman College, Atlanta, GA., Assistant Professor Anita B. Knox, Talladega College, Al.; and Associate Professor Johnnie Mae (Gilbert) Maberry (Historian), Chair of the visual Arts Department, Tugaloo College, Tugaloo, Mississippi; Museum of Nassau County, Hampton, N.Y. A concessive list of NAAHBCU yearly exhibitions is located on its web-site. 

 

NAAHBCU embarked upon its first international traveling exhibition in 2020-21 entitled “Negritude”, taking place in the northern, southern, and western regions of India in museums, and galleries. “Negritude” traveled to Kerala; Varanasi; Kolkarta; Shantiniketan; Goa; and Udaipur. 

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One of the most powerful teacher-student shows was shown in Wilmington N.C. 

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The conceptualization of the “Coming by Force: Overcoming by Choice” the 2006 exhibition was perhaps the one exhibit that defined the social spirit of NAAHBCU, it was a powerful exhibition depicting the voyage to America and slavery. 

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NAAHBCU average three exhibitions per year in museums, galleries and institutions of higher learning. Consistently, such museums as The National Study of Civil Rights; The APEX Museum; The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; North Carolina A&T, The Beach Institute of African American Culture Center has supported its mission.