Ademola Olugebefola, born in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1941, grew up in Brooklyn, steeped in artistic surroundings. During the civil rights movement, he relocated to Harlem, actively engaging in political activism. He emerged as an influential figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the early Afro-Futurism Movement. Ademola was a founding member of the Weusi Artist Collective, served as the first Educational Director of the Weusi Academy of African Arts and Studies, and an early member of the Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem. Ademola studied printmaking at Blackburn’s Printmaking Workshop, starting in 1968. In 2024, he received the Blackburn Legacy Fellowship.
In this excerpt, Ademola discusses the Weusi Artist Collective and the importance of representing Black people, celebrating Black beauty, and promoting education about African culture. He reflects on Bob’s generosity and skill, and also delves into his print, Musicians Making the Harvest Grow.
