Kwame Brathwaite, photographer of 'Black is Beautiful' movement, dies at 85

Photographer and activist Kwame Brathwaite's legacy lives on through his work that challenged the status quo of beauty standards. Born in 1938 to Barbadian immigrants in New York, Brathwaite was drawn to photography at a young age after witnessing David Jackson's haunting image of Emmett Till in an open casket and seeing a photographer taking pictures without flash at a jazz club.

Using a Hasselblad camera, Brathwaite honed his craft in a small darkroom in Harlem, experimenting with techniques that enhanced the visual narrative of his images. He worked with limited light to capture the essence of his subjects, often focusing on the emotional and psychological depth of his portraits.

Brathwaite's work was instrumental in shaping the "Black is Beautiful" movement, which sought to redefine traditional beauty standards that were heavily influenced by European culture. The Grandassa Models, young Black women he photographed, became symbols of this movement, embracing their natural features and challenging the dominant narratives.

By the 1970s, Brathwaite had shifted his focus from jazz to other forms of popular Black music, photographing iconic figures like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley. His work continued to be influential, with commissions in the 2010s, including a recent shoot for The New Yorker.

Brathwaite's health began to decline, but his legacy endures through exhibitions such as "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For" currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Ugh, can't believe they're only now showcasing this guy's work... feels like his legacy should've been celebrated ages ago . And what's with the "Things Well Worth Waiting For" title for that exhibit? It sounds like a joke. Can't wait to go check it out at the Art Institute of Chicago though! They gotta have some decent coffee and snacks there, right? At least they're not just gonna display his pics on old-school prints... hope they updated the lighting in the gallery

I'm literally so inspired by Kwame Brathwaite's work!!! I mean, can you even imagine a time when black people weren't represented in media with some messed up beauty standards? it gives me chills thinking about how much he fought for his art and his people His pics of the Grandassa Models are everything - they're so powerful and beautiful in their own way . And the fact that he worked with legends like Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder is just mind-blowing I need to see this exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago ASAP, it's on my bucket list now!

i just saw that kwame brathwaite's work is still inspiring people today . it's amazing how he challenged traditional beauty standards with his photography, especially back in the 60s and 70s when it was super rare to see black people being celebrated for their natural features.

[ascii art: a simple portrait of a smiling black woman]
he had this incredible eye for capturing emotional depth in his subjects, often using limited light to create moody and atmospheric images. it's no wonder he worked with some of the biggest names in music at the time!

brathwaite's "black is beautiful" movement was ahead of its time, and i'm so glad we're still seeing its impact today . his legacy lives on through exhibitions like the one at the art institute of chicago, where people can see his work up close.

[diagram: a simple Venn diagram with two overlapping circles - one for "traditional beauty standards" and the other for "black is beautiful"]

Kwame Brathwaite's work is so inspiring, it shows us that we don't have to conform to societal norms when it comes to beauty. I love how he worked with limited light to capture the essence of his subjects, it adds a whole new level of emotional depth to his portraits. His legacy is not just about Black is Beautiful, but also about challenging traditional narratives and giving voice to those who were marginalized.

I think its amazing that young women like the Grandassa Models became symbols of this movement, embracing their natural features and refusing to be objectified. Its a powerful message that still resonates today And its great to see his work continue to influence artists and photographers in commissions and exhibitions like "Things Well Worth Waiting For" at the Art Institute of Chicago

I'm so sad to hear that Kwame Brathwaite passed away . But it's awesome that his work lives on and continues to inspire people to challenge traditional beauty standards . I mean, can you imagine a world where black people were just seen as pretty because of their skin tone? It's crazy how much power photography has in shaping our perceptions. And the fact that Brathwaite's photos helped create a movement like "Black is Beautiful" is just amazing . I love that he worked with young women from The Grandassa Models to show the world what beauty looks like without all the filters . Anyway, it's great that his legacy is still celebrated through exhibitions like this one in Chicago

man Kwame Brathwaite's work is so fire he was way ahead of his time you know? like, those portraits he took of The Grandassa Models back in the day? they're still giving us life today. and can we talk about how he used light to capture these amazing images? it's like he knew exactly what he was doing anyway, it's crazy that his health started declining but his legacy is living on through exhibitions and commissions. that's a real testament to the impact he had on the art world

just saw this about kwame brathwaite... what a legend he captured so many amazing moments in black history thru his lens, from emmett till to bob marley... and it's crazy how much impact 'black is beautiful' movement had on changing beauty standards the grandassa models were total game changers. brathwaite's work still holds up today, like he knew a thing or two about storytelling through pics

man this kwame brathwaite is like a superhero for black culture he was all about challenging the status quo and making people see black people in a new light, you know? like his work with the grandassa models was a total game changer for the "black is beautiful" movement. it's crazy to think that this dude started out taking pics at jazz clubs and then ended up photographing icons like nina simone and stevie wonder

I'm so inspired by Kwame Brathwaite's journey from a young kid to creating art that changed the game for Black beauty standards. He took risks using unconventional lighting in his darkroom, which led to some incredible portraits that showcased people's true selves. The way he captured the essence of his subjects is something we can all learn from.

I love how he worked with the Grandassa Models, empowering young Black women to own their natural beauty and rejecting the Eurocentric standards that had been imposed on them for so long. It's amazing to see how his work influenced a whole movement, making it okay to be yourself, flaws and all.

It's also fascinating to see how he transitioned from jazz photography to capturing iconic figures in other genres of Black music. Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder... the list goes on! Kwame Brathwaite's legacy is not just about his art, but about inspiring others to be bold, take risks, and celebrate their individuality.

I'm so glad his story is being shared with a new generation, and exhibitions like "Kwame Brathwaite: Things Well Worth Waiting For" are keeping his work alive. We can all learn from Kwame's passion and creativity – let's keep pushing the boundaries of beauty standards and self-expression!

I'm so down for celebrating Kwame Brathwaite's legacy , but I gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed that his work isn't getting more mainstream recognition in my opinion . I mean, he was breaking ground way back when and challenging the status quo of beauty standards - that's some serious bravery ! But at the same time, I feel like we're still seeing a lot of the same old narratives being perpetuated in the art world ... don't get me wrong, exhibitions like this one are awesome , but it'd be great to see more diverse voices and perspectives represented too .

omg i'm so inspired by kwame brathwaite's work! he was literally a game changer for the beauty industry and beyond his pics of the grandassa models are still giving me chills today - they're like, totally unapologetic and radiant it's wild to think about how much impact his photography had on shifting the narrative around beauty standards in black communities. and can we talk about his work with nina simone? sheer genius i love that he was able to capture her essence through his lens - it's like a time capsule of music and culture. brathwaite's legacy is definitely one for the ages, and i'm so grateful that exhibitions like this one are keeping his work alive

I mean, can you believe it? Another artist pushing boundaries and redefining beauty standards. Kwame Brathwaite's work was super important back in the day, and I'm glad his legacy is still being celebrated today . But what really gets me is how his approach to photography was so ahead of its time. Using a Hasselblad camera and working with limited light? That's like, totally old-school compared to some of the fancy tech we've got now .

And I gotta say, it's cool that he worked with people like Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder. Those are some legends! But what I'd really love to see is how his photography could've been even more impactful if he had access to some of the technology we take for granted today . Would've made those portraits so much more poppin'!

this is so awesome that his work lives on and continues to inspire people about the importance of embracing our natural beauty. I mean, can you even imagine a world where black people weren't forced to hide their features because of society's standards? it's crazy to think about how far we've come and still have a long way to go. Kwame Brathwaite was definitely a pioneer in the fight against racism and for self-love. I'm so glad his work is being celebrated and that people are still discovering his photographs

omg i just learned about Kwame Brathwaite and he's literally a hero like what even is this guy's story? so he saw that picture of Emmett Till in an open casket and it totally changed him, you know? and then he started taking pics with a Hasselblad camera and experimenting with light and all that jazz... i love how his photography was all about capturing the emotional depth of his subjects and it's crazy to think about how his work helped shape this whole "Black is Beautiful" movement, which is like so important for us to learn from today. and can we talk about these Grandassa Models he photographed? they're literally the original supermodels anyway, i'm so glad Kwame Brathwaite's legacy lives on through his work

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans - John Lennon

man this kwame brathwaite guy was literally a pioneer for changing the way we see beauty he used photography to break free from those traditional standards and showcase black people in all their glory it's so cool to think about how his work has inspired generations now especially with those grandassa models becoming icons in the black community i'm loving this exhibition at the art institute of chicago it's a great reminder that our culture is full of beauty and worth celebrating

What's up with this "Black is Beautiful" thing? It sounds like a movement that's all about embracing your natural features, but is it really that deep? I mean, don't get me wrong, people being themselves and not trying to fit into some Euro-centric beauty standard is cool and all. But is it really a movement that's been around since the 70s? It feels like we've seen this same vibe before, like it's just a rehashing of what's already been done.

And let's talk about the pictures themselves. I'm not saying they're not iconic or anything, but some of them look kinda cheesy to me. Like, Nina Simone in a fancy dress and all that jazz...it feels like Brathwaite was trying too hard to be cool. And what's up with all the old photoshopping? I get it, limited light and all that, but some of those pics feel like they've been touched up more than others. IDK man, maybe I'm just not getting it

This guy Kwame Brathwaite was literally a pioneer when it comes to redefining what's beautiful . I mean, can you imagine living in a time where Black people were still being objectified and marginalized just because of their skin color? It's crazy to think about how much he challenged the status quo with his photography. The way he used light, composition, and expression to capture the essence of his subjects was pure genius .

And I love how he gave a platform to these young Black women, the Grandassa Models, who were unapologetically themselves and showed the world that natural beauty is just as stunning as any other standard. It's not easy to be confident in your own skin when everyone around you is telling you otherwise, but they owned it and that's what made their photos so powerful .

It's also amazing how his work continued to evolve over the years, from jazz to music legends like Nina Simone and Bob Marley . His influence can still be seen today, with commissions and exhibitions that celebrate his legacy . And even though he's no longer with us, his impact will live on for generations to come .

man Kwame Brathwaite was like a total game changer in terms of beauty standards... it's crazy how his work back in the 60s and 70s is still influencing people today he knew that black people have been marginalized for too long, so he used his camera to show them in a new light - like, not just as objects of beauty, but as individuals with their own stories and emotions . his grandassa models were the ultimate symbols of this movement, embracing their natural features and rejecting all the Eurocentric standards that came before