Power, Privilege, Purpose
In the Summer 2020, Chris Rudd, Clinical Professor of Practice at the IIT Institute of Design invited me to participate in his webinar, “The Future Must be Different from the Past: Embracing an Anti-Racist Agenda.” I was asked to reflect about the elements of contemporary graphic design that I believe symbolize racism and oppression, “What is the rebel flag or Confederate monument of design, to you?”:
I would like to retire the Paul Rand look. I would like to retire Mid-century Helvetica. I want to retire flush left. I want to retire rag right. I want to retire white space. I want to retire the Swiss grid… It is the look of my oppressor… a Mid-century era when it wasn’t easy to enter the NY marketplace as a Black designer. When I see that look, the only thing it says to me is, ‘You cannot enter. You don’t belong. You’re not good enough.
It was an oppressive era and a lingering Jim Crow era of its racist DNA; I wanted to forget it all.
With that comment, I was officially on record for what would be a not so outlandish assertion. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor had been murdered; my memory of Martin Luther King’s assassination took me back to the Civil Rights Era. The question triggered a flash back to the late Mid-century era of Euro-centric white male dominance within our collective design practice and industry. I unapologetically spoke my mind, and not so peacefully at that. I told Professor Rudd, “I might not look radical, but I am!” The Webex chat room exploded!
I was confident that my “raw take” had ruined any online presence and reputation I had painstakingly built. Then I was completely surprised! In October 2020, I received an email. I was invited to offer the keynote reflection for the Design Leadership Summit 2020. I just threw Paul Rand under the bus and IBM is inviting me to speak!?! The only thing I could possibly speak about was my truth and my experience in trying to secure a career and or even a business contract with IBM. My ironic truthful story is all I could speak of; I was brave, even courageous and told the only truth I knew of IBM. IBM was Eurocentric white male dominant, and seemingly there was no room for any other design voice. I wanted an IBM design career, and my dream was elusive, a dream deferred.
At the close of my keynote, Phil Gilbert wanted me to answer a few questions from the audience, “What are some of the reasons that you found for the underrepresentation of Black designers and what are some of the solutions that IBM and companies like IBM can try?”
I told Phil and the audience the painful truth just written in my four-part October 2020 article for Print Magazine, “Black Designers: Forward in Action.” The history of the slave trade and then freed slave labor entering into the labor market revealed the cause. This is the place where white supremacy statics and systemic racism began. The newly emancipated slave labor threatened the white man at the point of Emancipation. Suddenly there was competition. The white man was afraid of the Negro slave competition, and by any means necessary sought to stop his advancement into the workforce, employment or business.
Historical context: Black design and the Jim Crow era
From the Abolitionist movement into the era of Emancipation, the systemic racist techniques that kept Blacks out of the artisan and trade labor were fueled further by Jim Crow laws. The white dominant community having to deal with a new body of free labor, faced competition. It was frightening. Once enslaved and now free is the basis of fear of and aggression toward Blacks in the early trades of graphic design production and printing technologies. Decades of fear and systemic strategies of racism found its way into employment practices and the shroud covering Mid-century era (roughly 1945–1969) era Black designers especially in Chicago and New York.
These strategies were designed to keep Blacks and people of color down and out as well as away from any of life’s advancement. During the Mid-century era (roughly 1945–1969) there was little to no access for Blacks to enter into the Graphic Design industry. The closing of the Civil Rights Era at the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. is a pivotal marker. The needle for design equality, equity, and inclusion began to move in 1968. There were influential prominent white male advertising and design practitioners who stepped up to the plate and became allies. They assumed responsibility to be better than their forefathers and to correct history.
Communication Arts (CA) magazine was one of the first to tackle this issue of white men taking responsibility for correcting a problem created by their ancestors. The cover of the April/May 1968 issue posed the question, “How many black Americans will graduate from art school this year?” Richard Coyne, the publisher challenges his community’s thinking in his editorial. Boldly, Coyne proclaims his allyship and empathy for the (then) “Negro” needing to find a seat at this industry’s table of successes and accomplishments:
There is cause for deep concern, for we have a very exclusive fraternity. The racial imbalance in advertising is second only to segregated social clubs,” Coyne contends unapologetically. — Communication Arts 1968
Coyne’s editorial cites the April issue of The Art Gallery Magazine 1968 as also addressing the issue. On April 15, 1968 Lawrence Dunst, creative director of Daniel and Charles, launched a full-page ad,in the New York Times, “Who says there are no negroes in the advertising industry. I have heard of five!” Their reply was the antithesis to Coyne’s sentiment. “Not qualified!” was their explanation for a lack of Black artists’ presence in the visual arts. Continuing in CA issue’s feature article, “Tutor/Art”, he describes a philanthropic friend of his from Los Angeles, who created a youth art program in Watts that became a catalyst for balancing the scales of racial imbalance in advertising, design, and fine art.
Inspired by the program, Coyne established The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation to encourage diversity in visual communications which continues today in its mission to mentor and provide scholarship programs. Coyne points to his advocacy, “It’s easy to say someone should do something about this. Someone who? It’s our field.”
“We didn’t deliberately set out to keep it lily white. We are the ones who should do something about it. You and me.” https://www.coynefamilyfoundation.org/
This 1968 issue of CA points directly to the ownership of the dilemma, addresses and speculates about who owns the problem, and proposes actions to change the landscape of the dearth of Black designers. Coyne contends the solution is in the hands of the fraternity.
On October 23, 1969, The New York Times reported a charge made by Barton A. Cummings, Chair of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and Chairman of Compton Advertising, in an article titled, “Wider Use of Black Talent Urged.” In a speech to The Audit Bureau of Circulation meeting at the Waldorf Astoria, Cummings challenged the advertising community to look for Black vice presidents, department heads, stockholders, and supervisors in agencies. He noted, they are far and between. Barton was displeased of the “Negro’s” situation in business, and thusly charged his audience:
“For the future of the Black man in advertising is in two sets of hands, yours and his. His drive, his effort, his striving, can be encouraged by you — or discouraged. You can help — or hinder. You can confront the situation or avoid it. You can build bridges — or you can build walls.”
Moving forward: Highlighting Black design
In March 1969, Eli Cantor, the Chairman of the Composing Room and Director of Gallery 303, New York City was empathetic to the challenges Black designers encountered. When approached by Dorothy E. Hayes a New York designer and educator, Cantor agreed to plan an exhibition to celebrate 49 Black designers succeeding in spite of the odds. Together, they began to define the major purpose for the show and launched an exhaustive public relations campaign for awareness. They assembled the team of working professionals who invested over a year of their time to bring forth the exhibit.
Cantor canvassed his New York cadre of advertising and design leaders to partner with the project. Hayes’ cadre curated and administer the show’s vision. “Black Artist in Graphic Communication” gala opening was held on January 8, 1970, at Gallery 303 of the Composing Room, located at 130 West 46th Street, in New York City. The committee proudly voiced, “The exhibition has said loudly and clearly for all to hear and see that the talent is certainly present and also the doors to opportunity and success are much more open than many have been led to believe. For the major story of the exhibition is not just the talent it displays but the fact that these men and women are successful.”
IBM participated in the Hayes show with ads and videos. Then, following the trend in 1972, the president of The Data Processing Division of IBM initiated a “Minority Art Program”, a “task force of minority and non-minority employee was formed to plan the program and set its objectives.” The program’s report explains, “the main objective of the exhibition was to increase awareness of the talent of minority artists in America.” Thanks to the IBM archives we learn of IBM’s commitment and interest in minority artists in a variety of sponsored art books and exhibitions dating back to the 1960s.
Up from slavery, the power, and privilege of Eurocentric white male cohorts, hindered the Black community from access and successful performance in the Graphic Design industry. A tumultuous Civil Rights Era began to shift fear from hearts and brought the white male ally community together to effect change. It took the assassination of a Black leader to bring attention to a need to correct the past. A few good empathetic white men, sought to level the playing ground, while others remained steadfast in hindering the Black designer from access. Astonishingly, Richard Coyne assumes responsibility and suggested white men need to correct the problem.
The closing of the Civil Rights Era years ushered a season of reparation for support. Eventually, the comradery began to wane. That was then and this is now. I lived through that era then, to find myself journeying in like manner, now. We have entered another season of reparation where there is a plethora of interest and initiatives directed toward the Black designer.
Where we are today
It took another Black man murdered and a racially charged summer of 2020, to bring the “Where are the Black Designers, Black Designers Missing Action” advocacy out of the card catalog, Dewey decimal classification system into our full view. Social media has made the call for design justice up front and personal; we all see the truth of its message. IBM wasn’t afraid to unconditionally accept my personal story as their truths as well. I was surprised, shocked actually! We’ve entered another season of reparation; many want to correct the ills of the past. IBM has stepped up to the task.
After countless design thinking sessions of possibilities, Nigel Prentice and the Racial Equity in Design team wanted me; IBM wanted me just as I am, unconditionally! In September 2021, IBM launched its inaugural appointment, Honorary IBM Design Scholar. IBM wanted me to sit in the chair as “Eminent Luminary.” As IBM’s Honorary IBM Design Scholar 2021, first and foremost, I am honored and mostly proud. I am acutely aware of a brand-new landscape of IBM family. My sensibility in being “of many colors and ethnicities” seems to fit, as I resonate with the broad IBM workforce and community of today. I have retired the “Paul Rand Mid-century era” of racially charged hinderances, obstacles, and frustrations to access and have released the memories of a time gone by.
I am observing a brand-new IBM of today, that’s leaving yesterday behind. IBM is standing on the shoulders of our design ancestors Richard Coyne, Barton A. Cummings, and Eli Cantor as examples, who offered an open door to inclusivity and equity for all. Remembering Paul Rand, we can stand on his aesthetic for excellence and leave the ills behind. We can take the best of the Mid-century restrictive Euro-centric white male antiquated ethos of corporate America and forge boldly into today’s more generous, diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce.
IBM is owning its responsibility for its past history. It is making a new story for a broad community and a more diverse corporate family. Opening this once closed door for me, is a major first step in my own life. The assignment is simple; just offer hope and inspiration for how to thrive in a wonderful corporate workplace and environment. Difficult and challenging, my message, “Stick with it, keep going…” is probably easier said than done.
As Honorary IBM Design Scholar, I have the opportunity to speak truth to power and with that privilege, I am inspiring new purpose. May our work in this season and circle of transformation, as well as advancement, be sustainable. May our IBM Racial Equity in Design initiative weather the circle of time and remain constant in our new corporate climate.
“Inclusionary means to be patient and tolerant and accepting and welcoming, and that can make a community well when you decide to be a citizen that offers inclusion in your heart.” — Dr. Cheryl D. Miller
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The above article is personal, and does not necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strateigies, or opinions.
