Edmonia Lewis

Edmonia Lewis (1844, 1907) was the first professionally successful Black and Native American sculptor, renowned for her neoclassical marble works that addressed themes of race, freedom, and Indigenous identity. Born to a Chippewa mother and African American father, she studied at Oberlin College before establishing her career in Rome, where she created iconic works such as 'The Death of Cleopatra' and 'Forever Free.' Her sculptures challenged racial and gender barriers in 19th-century art and remain celebrated as pioneering achievements in American art history.