Oral history interview with William McBride, 1988 Oct. 30-31

Collection Information

Size: 149 Pages, Transcript

Format: Originally recorded on 2 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hrs., 10 min.

Summary: An interview of William McBride conducted 1988 Oct. 30-31, by Carol Adams, for the Archives of American Art African-American artists in Chicago oral history project (1988-1989).

McBride speaks of his early interest in art, the importance of George Neal to the education of young Chicago artists, and the camaraderie among Black artists in Chicago in the 1930s. He discusses working for the WPA Federal Art Project and saving WPA works from destruction. Carter reminisces about the formation of the South Side Community Art Center as a place where Black artists could exhibit, the Black Renaissance in Chicago in the 1930s, and post-WPA survival. He recalls working for Goldblatt's department store, the impact of the civil rights movement on Black art, and the influence of African art.

Biographical/Historical Note

William McBride (1912-2000) was a painter in Chicago, Ill.

Provenance

This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.

Language Note

English .

Funding

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.