Gerald Williams USA, b. 1941

This is one of Williams' earliest paintings as a founder of AFRICOBRA. It is an excellent example of his impasto, painterly style, and shows his master of blending figurative images, especially of Black faces, with graphic text. The "coolade colors" for which the group is known help define the iconic look of this historic painting. The title references the famous James Brown anthem "Say It Loud, I'm Black & I'm Proud," by James Brown, which was released the previous year. The spirit of the song was in keeping with the philosophy of AFRICOBRA to embrace positive images of Black people, and to embrace Black pride.