Timeline

1911

Born in Charlotte, NC

1970

Received a John Solomon Guggenheim Foundation grant to write a book on the history of African-American art. The book, A History of African-American Artists: From 1792 to the Present, was coauthored with Harry Henderson and published posthumously in 1993

1972

Elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters

1973

Named Rockefeller Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

1975

Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Fine Art from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

1976

Received Gold Medal for Achievement in the Arts by the Governor of North Carolina
Proclaimed Honorary Citizen of Atlanta, Georgia

1977

Received Honorary Doctorate from North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Received Honorary Doctorate from Maryland Institute of Arts, Baltimore, MD

1978

Received Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Davidson College, Davidson, NC
Received thirteenth Annual Frederick Douglass Medal from the New York Chapter of the National Urban League, New York, NY
Received Freedom Fighter Award from the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

1980

Romare Bearden Day is proclaimed in Oakland, CA

1982

Received Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

1983

Received Award from The Studio Museum in Harlem along with Elizabeth Catlett and Jacob Lawrence

1984

Received the Mayor's Award of Honor for Art & Culture from New York City Mayor Edward Koch at Gracie Mansion
Bearden's lithograph, The Lamp (1984), is chosen for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund poster celebrating the 30th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education

1985

Received Honorary Doctorate in Literature from Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA
Honored by the New York Artists Equity Association for Lifetime of Artistic Achievement and Devotion to Fellow Artists’ Interests

1987

Presented with the National Medal of Arts by President Ronald Reagan
Romare Bearden Day is declared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1988

Died: March 12th in New York, NY
Received posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from The Studio Museum in Harlem

2000

Bearden's collage, Family (1988), becomes the national poster for the U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 Census

2004 - 2005

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New York City, issues a Proclamation in honor of Bearden’s legacy