Augusta Savage on mentorship, artistic legacy, and the power of investing in the next generation

Today, we pause to reflect on the words of Augusta Savage, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance whose legacy lives as much in her teaching as in her sculpture. Savage once said, “I have created nothing really beautiful, really lasting, but if I can inspire one of these youngsters to develop the talent I know they possess, then my monument will be in their work.”

Her statement reframes artistic legacy—not as object, but as impact. Savage reminds us that mentorship, access, and belief in emerging Black artists are themselves enduring works of art.

---

ARTNOTE: Bibliographic Description & Historical Note

Augusta Savage, Working on “Harp” (Lift Every Voice and Sing), 1939. Photograph. Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Digital Collections.

This photograph documents Savage in the process of completing The Harp, her monumental sculpture commissioned for the New York World’s Fair. Inspired by James Weldon Johnson’s hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the work reimagined the harp as a chorus of Black singers, symbolizing collective strength and cultural pride. Although widely celebrated during the fair, the sculpture was destroyed after the exhibition due to lack of funds for casting and preservation, making surviving photographs essential records of its existence and legacy.

---

Annotation — ART | library deco Series
“This Day in Black Art History” is an educational editorial series by ART | library deco highlighting moments where Black art, archives, and cultural memory intersect. Each entry reflects the role of artists and cultural workers in shaping the visual record of Black history while connecting historical artworks to contemporary archival practice.