Edmonia Lewis
Sculptor (1844-1907) New York, Rome, London

The daughter of an African-American father, half-Haitian—a freed slave—and an Indigenous mother from the Ojibwe people, Edmonia Lewis was born. She was a famous and renowned sculptor and anti-racist activist. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her aunts and brother within the Ojibwe nation. Her brother left the nomadic community to become a gold prospector in California, thus supporting his sister's education. Lewis enrolled at Oberlin College, where she developed a deep passion for art. During her time there, she faced numerous racist incidents. She was falsely accused of poisoning two white roommates, which led to her being captured and beaten by a white mob. Although she was acquitted at trial, she was unable to complete her studies. She was 15 years old. Edmonia Lewis moved to Boston, where she worked for well-known abolitionists of the time and, in 1864, held her first solo exhibition. However, "in the land of the free, there was no room for a sculptor of color," she declared, so she traveled to Rome, where she had to fight against a patriarchal and sexist art world. Nevertheless, her work evolved and gained international recognition. Her sculptures speak to the struggle against racism and slavery, embodying the strength, self-respect, and defiance of their creator.