Alma Thomas

Pioneering abstract artist who transformed space and color perception

Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891–1978) shattered racial and gender barriers as the first African-American woman to hold a fine arts degree from Howard University. Her vibrant color field paintings redefined abstract expressionism while drawing inspiration from space exploration and natural phenomena.

After teaching art for 35 years, Thomas began her professional painting career at age 68. Her signature 'Alma's Stripes' technique used rhythmic color patterns influenced by Byzantine mosaics and Pointillism. The 1969 Resurrection painting became the first work by an African-American woman acquired by the White House Collection.

Thomas's space-themed works like Launch Pad (1970) coincided with NASA's Apollo missions, blending scientific progress with artistic vision. Her 1972 Whitney Museum retrospective marked the institution's first solo exhibition for a Black woman artist.

Despite arthritis challenges, Thomas continued innovating until her death at 86. Major collections at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Chrysler Museum ensure her legacy as a color theory pioneer who transformed perceptions of race and abstraction in modern art.