Harmon Foundation Establishes Awards for African American Achievement

Beginning in 1926, the Harmon Foundation—established by white philanthropist William E. Harmon—created the Awards for Distinguished Achievement Among Negroes, offering prizes in literature, music, fine arts, science, and education. The annual awards and accompanying exhibitions became the most visible national recognition program for Black artists and scholars, helping to establish the careers of Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage, Palmer Hayden, and others, while also making Black artistic production legible to white audiences and patrons.