Howard University students took center stage at the National Gallery of Art in March, serving as tour guides for the Elizabeth Catlett: Revolutionary Women exhibition. As they led art enthusiasts through the gallery, the students passionately shared their knowledge about the artist they affectionately call “Mother Catlett.” Their insights shed light on the powerful legacy of Catlett, an artist whose work remains deeply influential at Howard.

The students engaged visitors with detailed explanations of Catlett’s interdisciplinary approach, which spanned printmaking, sculpting, and painting. “There’s so much variety in the styles of her artwork, the way that she drew, the way that she depicted people,” said Kelis George (Howard '25). “And even just playing with color or playing with line work. The way that she’s able to communicate the same ideas through different mediums,” she said.

Catlett’s work frequently depicted the struggles and triumphs of Black women, a theme that resonated with the Howard students. As a mother of three sons, Catlett channeled personal and collective grief into her art, such as in Mother and Child, which captures the anguish of loss in a mother’s expression. Her commitment to activism through art has inspired generations, including the students who represented her legacy at the exhibition.  

“She did not play, and was kind of fearless with that,” said Dr. Melanee Harvey, Associate Professor of Art History at Howard University. “I was asked to write an essay on her time at Howard University, which starts the catalog, and I feel like I got to learn so much more about that kind of activism legacy. Even as a teenager, she had a one-woman protest against lynching on the steps of the Capitol. I think that fearlessness is what we see really throughout her work.”  

The exhibition which was featured during the National Gallery Nights series, attracted thousands of visitors with its mix of fine art, live music, and social engagement. Attendees were able to explore the galleries while enjoying beverages and refreshments, making for an immersive experience.  

For Howard students, the event was not just about guiding visitors through the exhibition but about carrying forward Catlett’s mission. “I’m always looking at old photographs of my grandparents and their siblings, trying to figure out whether or not I look like my family, or what their lives looked like because there were so many of them," said George. I’m interested in the visual connections across generations”. 

The significance of Catlett’s work being showcased at the National Gallery of Art was not lost on our faculty.  “To have a retrospective of someone like Catlett at the National Gallery is groundbreaking,” said Dr. Gwendolyn H. Everett, Interim Dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. “The National Gallery of Art has presented exhibitions featuring Black artists, but a show devoted to the full career and lifespan of Elizabeth Catlett, a black female, social-activist artist is a major moment.” 

Howard University has long celebrated Catlett’s legacy, with her work prominently displayed on campus in the Architecture building. Her works are in the Howard University Gallery of Art's collection and that several works from the collection are featured in the NGA exhibition The exhibition at the National Gallery further solidifies her place in the canon of great artists who used their craft to enact social change. 

As the night came to a close, the Howard students reflected on their experience, knowing they had played a role in sharing the life and work of an artist who fought for justice through her art. Catlett’s story is not just history—it is a living testament to the power of art as activism, a message that these young artists are now carrying forward. “I would say that something I use a lot in my own work is the idea that the thing I know most about is myself. So, I’m constantly making self-portraits—whatever and however that means,” said George.