IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 297
Expressing the sense of Congress that Romare Howard Bearden should be 
recognized as one of the preeminent artists of the 20th century for 
his artistic genius and visual creativity in the depiction of the complexity 
and richness of African American life in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2003
Mr. RANGEL submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Government Reform 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress that Romare Howard 
Bearden should be recognized as one of the preeminent 
artists of the 20th century for his artistic genius and 
visual creativity in the depiction of the complexity and 
richness of African American life in the United States.
Whereas Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, North 
Carolina, on September 2, 1911, and migrated with his 
family to New York City around 1914 during the Great 
Migration north; 
Whereas Romare Bearden graduated from New York Univer-
sity, studied at the Art Students League, and joined the 
Harlem Artists Guild, continuing his lifelong study of 
art;
•HCON 297 IH 
Whereas Romare Bearden became a prolific artist whose oeu-
vre of approximately 2,000 known works employed var-
ious mediums including paintings, drawings, watercolors, 
monotypes, edition prints, photographs, wood sculpture, 
designs for record albums, costumes, stage sets, book il-
lustrations, and most notably collage; 
Whereas Romare Bearden spent much of his life in New 
York, in which he was fascinated by the intricacies of 
street life, especially in Harlem, which he mirrored in 
many of his works including The Street (1964), The Block 
II (1972), Profile/Part II, the Thirties: Artist with Paint-
ing and Model (1981); 
Whereas Romare Bearden’s extraordinary success as an art-
ist was recognized with his first solo exhibit in 1940 in 
Harlem and was succeeded by numerous exhibits 
throughout the United States and Europe; 
Whereas Romare Bearden enlisted in the United States Army 
in 1942 and was assigned to the First Headquarters, Fif-
teenth Regiment, the all-black 372d Infantry Division 
and was later honorably discharged whereupon he re-
turned to New York to join the prestigious Samuel Kootz 
Gallery in Manhattan; 
Whereas beginning in 1952 Romare Bearden maintained a 
full-time position with the Department of Social Services 
for 14 years during which he continued to pursue his ar-
tistic passion in his spare time until he was able to sus-
tain himself and his family through the sale of his art-
work; 
Whereas Romare Bearden was appointed in 1964 as the first 
Art Director of the newly established Harlem Cultural
•HCON 297 IH 
Council, a prominent African American advocacy group 
with several hundred members; 
Whereas Romare Bearden documented the history of African 
American artists whereby he coorganized ‘‘The Evolution 
of Afro-American Artists: 1800–1950’’ exhibit in 1967 at 
the City College of New York which included 150 works 
by 55 black artists providing a retrospective of African 
American work; 
Whereas Romare Bearden was an educator, historian, theo-
rist, and a benefactor who helped young African Amer-
ican artists establish their careers whereby in 1969 he co-
founded the Cinque Gallery in New York City to provide 
a space for young minority painters and curators to dis-
play their work and gain experience in the art world; 
Whereas Romare Bearden indulged his musical and literary 
inclinations by coauthoring 4 books and cofounding the 
Bluebird Music Company in which he went on to compose 
the lyrics for 20 songs; 
Whereas Romare Bearden was elected to the American Acad-
emy of Arts and Letters, the National Institute of Arts 
and Letters, and received numerous awards and honors 
including the prestigious Mayor’s Award of Honor for art 
and culture and the President’s National Medal of Arts 
from President Ronald Reagan in 1987; and 
Whereas Romare Bearden died in 1988 leaving an artistic 
legacy which includes 130 works currently on exhibit at 
the National Gallery of Arts: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the 
internationally renowned artist Romare Bearden should be
•HCON 297 IH 
honored for his contributions to the collective American 
aesthetic anthology which reflect the complexity and rich-
ness of African American life in the United States.
Æ