Learn about the remarkable work of costume designers, toy makers, and architects in award-winning author Tonya Bolden and illustrator David Wilkerson’s exciting new graphic novel series about some of the most fascinating Black lives in history
Ann Lowe (fashion designer). Ed Welburn (automotive designer). Ruth E. Carter (costume designer). These aren’t names that many people learn about in school, but they’re some of the greatest designers that people should know about—and they join the ranks of toy designers, architects, and graphic designers celebrated in Icons of Design.
Each faced challenges as they rose to the top of their professions, but they didn’t back down. They kept creating and experimenting and learning, and they made significant contributions in each of their fields!
The lives of nine African American designers are featured in this informative graphic novel. It covers designers in the late 1800s to the present. The types of design included landscape, fashion, costume, car, toy and graphic design.
I particularly enjoyed the life story of landscape architect David Augustus Williston. He was born shortly after the end of the Civil War. Gus, as he was called, loved gardening as a child and eventually was admitted to a teacher training program at Normal School, later known as Howard University in Washington DC. Gus wanted more education and landed a spot at Cornell University, after being forced to take eight entrance exams. He wrote a thesis titled Atmospheric Drainage and graduated in 1897 with a bachelor of science degree in aagriculture. Gus did not stop learning more and more about landscaping. He had steady work throughout his life and opened his own design firm, earning plenty of prestigious clients.
Another designer I loved was fashion designer Ann Lowe. She experienced many setbacks in her career due to her race but was so good at designing ball gowns that she was hired to design Jackie Bouvier's wedding dress when she married JFK.
My incorrected proof of this graphic novel did not have any coloring for the drawings. I think it will end up with bold colors though because the book cover is a bright blue. It’s quite striking. Icons of Design is an inspirational book. I loved reading all of the biographies inside its pages and certainly learned alot.
5 out of 5 stars.
