A Black woman who grew up in the South, Alma Thomas belonged to a family that encouraged creativity and cultivated an intellectual home where teachers were often invited to talk. When school segregation finally drove the family north, to Washington, D.C., Alma received an art degree and devoted herself to bringing arts education to young students in her neighborhood, where segregated schools meant that many could not access art. She taught, led art clubs, established an art gallery in a school, and organized field trips. Her home was a welcoming place where students could create their own works. Not until she was nearly 70 years old did Alma truly embark on her own artistic career, creating dazzling paintings in a style wholly her own. Rich with patterns and geometric shapes made from “dashes and dabs” of vibrant colors, Alma’s paintings earned places, and then an exhibit, in galleries and museums; after her death, President Obama selected one of her paintings for the White House Collection, where it hangs to this day. Bright digital illustrations in a palette reminiscent of Alma’s paintings accompany this narrative about the life of an impressive artist and educator. 

(Ages 5-8)