Frances Euphemia Thompson (July 11,1896 – January 30, 1992)[2] was an African American artist and art educator dedicated to improving the lives of African Americans through art education. She was one of the first African American women to graduate from Massachusetts Normal Art School.
Frances Euphemia Thompson
Thompson at the dedication of the Frances Euphemia Thompson gallery at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1979
Born
July 11, 1896
Nashville, Tennessee
Died
January 30, 1992
Nashville, Tennessee
Occupation
Art educator
Known for
Working to improve African American lives through art education[1]
Frances Thompson grew up in Nashville with eight siblings. After her father died, her mother raised the children with the help of a family friend and former slave they called Aunt Judy.[3] Thompson attended high school at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School (now Tennessee State University), where one of her most influential teachers was Olive Gorane Taliaferro. Taliaferro had graduated from Massachusetts Normal Art School (now Massachusetts College of Art and Design) in 1915, and became a mentor to Thompson. She convinced Thompson to attend the Massachusetts Normal Art School,[4] and sponsored her education there. She went on to study education and fine arts, at Radcliffe College (Harvard University) and in 1945 was awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT).
Massachusetts Normal Art School and continuing studiesedit
Thompson attended the Massachusetts Normal Art School (now Massachusetts College of Art and Design), graduating in 1923 from the Department in Teacher Training with a diploma in Elementary Teaching and Supervision.[5] She later returned to the school to receive her bachelor's degree.[6] Thompson was then awarded the Rosenwald Fellowship, which sponsored her continuing education in Europe. She traveled in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, settling in Prague, where she learned traditional Czech silversmithing and lacework. Germany military activities interrupted her fellowship and she returned to Tennessee.[7]
Artist and writeredit
Thompson's art included drawings, oil paintings, and murals. One of her most notable designs is the seal of Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School (now Tennessee State University);[8] she also created the bas-reliefs decorating many of the school's buildings.[9]
Thompson's 1936 bachelor's thesis explored how art programs could be used to positive effect in rural segregated schools. In 1943, it was adapted and published by the Tennessee Board of Education as Art in the Elementary Schools: A Manual for Teachers.[10]
Teaching careeredit
Thompson taught at Tennessee State University from 1923 to 1969.
Referencesedit
^Stankiewicz, Mary Ann (2016). Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States: Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity (1 ed.). Pennsylvania: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 198. ISBN978-1-137-54448-3.
^"Thompson, Frances Euphemia, 1896-1992. Papers of Frances Euphemia Thompson, 1897-1983: A Finding Aid". oasis.lib.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
^Stankiewicz, Mary Ann (2016). Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States: Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity. p. 198. ISBN978-1-137-54448-3.
^Massachusetts Normal Art School Enrollment Card, 1923
^Stankiewicz, Mary Ann (2016). Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States: Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity. p. 198. ISBN978-1-137-54448-3.
^Stankiewicz, Mary Ann (2016). Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States: Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity (1 ed.). Pennsylvania: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 198. ISBN978-1-137-54448-3.
April 11, 2024
frances, euphemia, thompson, july, 1896, january, 1992, african, american, artist, educator, dedicated, improving, lives, african, americans, through, education, first, african, american, women, graduate, from, massachusetts, normal, school, thompson, dedicati. Frances Euphemia Thompson July 11 1896 January 30 1992 2 was an African American artist and art educator dedicated to improving the lives of African Americans through art education She was one of the first African American women to graduate from Massachusetts Normal Art School Frances Euphemia ThompsonThompson at the dedication of the Frances Euphemia Thompson gallery at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1979BornJuly 11 1896Nashville TennesseeDiedJanuary 30 1992Nashville TennesseeOccupationArt educatorKnown forWorking to improve African American lives through art education 1 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Massachusetts Normal Art School and continuing studies 3 Artist and writer 4 Teaching career 5 ReferencesEarly life and education editFrances Thompson grew up in Nashville with eight siblings After her father died her mother raised the children with the help of a family friend and former slave they called Aunt Judy 3 Thompson attended high school at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School now Tennessee State University where one of her most influential teachers was Olive Gorane Taliaferro Taliaferro had graduated from Massachusetts Normal Art School now Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 1915 and became a mentor to Thompson She convinced Thompson to attend the Massachusetts Normal Art School 4 and sponsored her education there She went on to study education and fine arts at Radcliffe College Harvard University and in 1945 was awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching MAT Massachusetts Normal Art School and continuing studies editThompson attended the Massachusetts Normal Art School now Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduating in 1923 from the Department in Teacher Training with a diploma in Elementary Teaching and Supervision 5 She later returned to the school to receive her bachelor s degree 6 Thompson was then awarded the Rosenwald Fellowship which sponsored her continuing education in Europe She traveled in Sweden Denmark and Germany settling in Prague where she learned traditional Czech silversmithing and lacework Germany military activities interrupted her fellowship and she returned to Tennessee 7 Artist and writer editThompson s art included drawings oil paintings and murals One of her most notable designs is the seal of Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State Normal School now Tennessee State University 8 she also created the bas reliefs decorating many of the school s buildings 9 Thompson s 1936 bachelor s thesis explored how art programs could be used to positive effect in rural segregated schools In 1943 it was adapted and published by the Tennessee Board of Education as Art in the Elementary Schools A Manual for Teachers 10 Teaching career editThompson taught at Tennessee State University from 1923 to 1969 References edit Stankiewicz Mary Ann 2016 Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity 1 ed Pennsylvania Palgrave Macmillan p 198 ISBN 978 1 137 54448 3 Thompson Frances Euphemia 1896 1992 Papers of Frances Euphemia Thompson 1897 1983 A Finding Aid oasis lib harvard edu Retrieved 2017 03 23 Frances Euphemia Thompson Papers 1897 1983 biographical sketch 1944 MC 226 box 1 folder 2 Schlesinger Library Radcliffe Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts Stankiewicz Mary Ann 2016 Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity p 198 ISBN 978 1 137 54448 3 Massachusetts Normal Art School Enrollment Card 1923 Stankiewicz Mary Ann 2016 Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity p 198 ISBN 978 1 137 54448 3 Frances Euphemia Thompson Papers 1897 1983 biographical sketch 1944 MC 226 box 1 folder 2 Schlesinger Library Radcliffe Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts Frances E Thompson Tennessee State University Library Digital Collections contentdm auctr edu Retrieved 2017 03 03 Frances Euphemia Thompson Papers 1897 1983 biographical sketch 1944 MC 226 box 1 folder 2 Schlesinger Library Radcliffe Institute Harvard University Cambridge Massachusetts Stankiewicz Mary Ann 2016 Developing Visual Arts Education in the United States Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Normalization of Creativity 1 ed Pennsylvania Palgrave Macmillan p 198 ISBN 978 1 137 54448 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frances Euphemia Thompson amp oldid 1097992777, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,