Romare Bearden is considered one of America’s greatest collage artists. Collage is a French word that means to cut and paste.

Romare Bearden was born in a small town outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, in Here he developed a fondness for trains as his Grand-dad would take him to the Charlotte train station to watch the locomotives pull in and out.

At age three, his parents moved to Harlem, New York. His father worked as an inspector for the city sanitation department and his mother was a prominent Harlem figure: editor of a newspaper, chairman of her school board, national treasurer for the Council of Negro Women, and community activist.

The Bearden’s often hosted prominent black musicians and entertainers in their home when they came to visit New York such as: Jazz Singer and Orchestra Leader Cab Calloway Concert Singer Paul Robeson Jazz Musician and Big Band Leader Duke Ellington During this time Romare would develop a love for Jazz music that would last a life time.

As Bearden grew older he developed talents for art and sports. After attending Boston University on a baseball scholarship Bearden was offered a chance to play professional baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics. The only catch, Bearden would have to claim to be white when asked of his race. Bearden declined the offer.

Bearden saw no future in sports so he now turned his attention to art. He attended New York University and studied mathematics, but art continued to interest him and he began to paint in At the Art Students League in New York he studied with the German artist George Grosz, who encouraged him to incorporate social and political commentary in his art. Between 1935 and 1937 Bearden earned money as a professional artist by drawing political cartoons for the Baltimore Afro-American.

In 1932 the economic hardship known as the great depression was in full swing. Due to prejudices, conditions were even more difficult for African Americans. Bearden expressed the conflicts, barriers and hardships faced every day by African Americans in his art.

In the 1960’s he moved on to using collage as his medium of choice. America was experiencing the Civil Right Movement this would now fuel Bearden’s creative needs.

Remembering both his rural North Carolina roots and his urban New York City upbringing, Bearden depicted both types of scenes in his collages.

Bearden’s deep feelings about his people, his family and his childhood memories are reflected in his works. Fond memories that include southern share croppers, black urban life, family gatherings and jazz music became the subjects of Bearden's collages.

From Bearden served in the Army. He was stationed in Paris and became familiar with many of the European artists.

In 1951 Bearden returned to New York and tried his hand at composing songs. Music always occupied an important place in Bearden's life. He grew up listening to jazz and the blues. He founded the Bluebird Music Company with the composer Dave Ellis and went on to record twenty of his own songs. His success as a songwriter did not, however, fulfill all of Bearden's creative energies and he returned to the visual arts.

In 1964 during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement Bearden created montages. Because his art focused on Black Pride they were immediately popular and critically acclaimed.

Bearden had his first art exhibit in 1965 in Washington DC. In 1967 he was able to retire from his job working for the NYC Department of Social Services and focus on being a full time artist.

Music always remained important for Bearden and enjoyed depicting musicians playing music in his collages.

Bearden would often use a particular arrangement of the images and specialized colors to create the mood he wanted for his collages.

Bearden continued to create art the whole way up until his death in 1988.