February 2018

On February 12, 2018, Kehinde Wiley unveiled his official portrait of President Barack Obama for the National Portrait Gallery — the first time a Black artist had been commissioned to paint an official presidential portrait for the Smithsonian. Wiley depicted Obama seated amid flowering plants symbolic of Kenya, Hawaii, Chicago, and Washington. The unveiling was a cultural watershed, with millions viewing the portrait and sparking national conversation about representation in American institutions.

On the same day Kehinde Wiley unveiled President Obama's portrait, Amy Sherald unveiled her portrait of Michelle Obama for the National Portrait Gallery — the first Black woman to paint an official First Lady portrait for the Smithsonian. Sherald's signature style, rendering Black subjects in grayscale skin against vivid backgrounds, made the portrait a celebrated artistic statement about visibility, power, and Black womanhood in America.

Ryan Coogler's Marvel film starring Chadwick Boseman grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film by a Black director and the ninth highest-grossing film in history at that time. It was the first superhero film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and won three Oscars.

With her nominations for Lemonade, Beyoncé surpassed Dolly Parton to become the most Grammy-nominated woman in the history of the awards. She had already set records at the 2017 Grammy ceremony when she performed while visibly pregnant and won three awards, delivering one of the most celebrated televised performances in the award show's history.

Ryan Coogler's film becomes a global cultural phenomenon and box-office landmark.