Artist Exiled for Activism, Then Honored by Oprah

Elizabeth Catlett, an influential sculptor and printmaker, was honored at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball in 2005. Despite her significant contributions, Catlett faced exile and surveillance by the U.S. government for nearly a decade due to her activist views and support for international solidarity.

Considered dangerous by the U.S. for her advocacy of the working class and civil rights, Catlett was labeled an "undesirable alien" in 1962. Her art, however, became a powerful symbol for Black revolutionaries, imbuing Black women and laborers with humanity, voice, and dignity.

Catlett's journey began in Washington, D.C., in 1915. After facing racial discrimination, she studied at Howard University and later earned an MFA from the University of Iowa, becoming the first Black woman to do so in sculpture. Her philosophy of creating art from personal experience inspired her explorations of race, gender, and class.

Relocating to Mexico in 1946, Catlett created linoleum cut portraits through the Taller de Gráfica Popular, focusing on art as a revolutionary practice. Her work in Mexico highlighted the contributions of Black women and Indigenous peoples, drawing parallels between Black and Mexican liberation struggles.

This activism led to her persecution and exile by the U.S. government. Catlett married Mexican artist Francisco Mora, sharing a 50-year partnership. Her art, now exhibited globally in prestigious institutions, often pays homage to the mother-child bond.

Her granddaughter, Naima Mora, a winner of "America's Next Top Model," is directing a documentary titled "Elizabeth Speaks" to preserve her grandmother's legacy. Mora seeks to honor Catlett's life and voice, celebrating her dignity and revolutionary spirit.