Celebrating the African-American Practitioners Absent From Way Too Many Classroom Lectures by Madeleine Morley, Eye on Design, 2018 and Typography as a Radical Act in an Industry Ever-dominated by White Men by Silas Munro, Eye on Design, 2019, Design Gets More Diverse by Alice Rawsthorn, NYTimes, 2011.

 

Questions / Prompts

  • How do we change the commercial design field to include a diversity of voices and visions?
  • What will the commercial design field and the study of design history look like in 20 years?

 

Responses

We can change the commercial design field to include a diversity of voices and visions with the intention of including all genders and races. The design field is predominantly white, and considered a “man’s world”. The dynamics of diversity must be expanded for equal opportunity. We should deem designers exempt from modernism’s influence as Harris says because they didn’t work in advertising or commerce. We should acknowledge all design artists of all races and their contributions to the design field.

Twenty years from now the commercial design field and the study of design history will have become more diverse recognizing all voices and visions. Reputable graphic designers of all colors will be added to the history books,  along with their social impact made on society. This information will be available for future designers to look back on and learn concepts and theories. Future companies will be diversified which will inspire and reflect more on diverse perspectives in design. Designers will look closer at how they can advance inclusion, equality, and accessibility in the design field. Conversations within the design field will touch on the scope of design history and the value of design and how it’s essential to organizations. Hopefully, the gap of diversity will be closed due to open-minded innovators of design.

Annotations

Reference Image: Buddy Esquire, Reginald Gammon, Grafton Tyler Brown,  Charles Harrison

Idea:  Harris focused on African American graphic designers because he saw there wasn’t enough information on earlier African American designers. If designers were aware of designers like themselves, it could have impacted the culture and mindset of African American graphic designers.

Idea:  I feel this is true because the graphic design culture has predominantly white men. For a black woman to walk in a studio, designers question her background, education, etc. Women are still viewed as inadequate especially black women.

Definitions:  Meritocratic