This year we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King on January 20 (his real birthday was January 15). During his lifetime and after, King appeared on numerous magazine and publication covers. Here are five of our favorites, featuring illustrations by Paul Davis, Ben Shahn, Barry Blitt, Mark Ulriksen, and Robert Vickrey. Be sure to […]
The Schomburg Center in New York City is presenting the exhibit Motown: The Truth Is a Hit, opening February 1 and running through July 26. The Center says that the show “seeks to explore [Barry] Gordy’s notion of the truth by tracing black music from its African roots through slavery, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, […]
Because of my accident last year I was out of commission for most of 2013. So I missed experiencing the year’s magazines covers as they were published. I was lucky to have the resources of Coverjunkie and NASCAPAS to review the year, but of course your responses are always different (at least mine are) when […]
Gary Grimshaw, noted psychedelic poster artist and political activist, passed away January 13 in Detroit at the age of 67. Grimshaw created many of the late 60s posters for the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, and was also closely identified with the band MC5, art directing their first LP cover and designing many of their posters […]
Why We Fight: Remembering AIDS Activism is a powerful exhibit currently on display at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library. The Library has a huge collection of AIDS activism graphics, and this show draws on that archive as well as including a series of movie and video screenings and panel […]
Noted Black Arts and Black Power movement figure Amiri Baraka passed away January 9 at the age of 79. Here’s an illustrated portrait by former Black Panther Party Revolutionary Artist Emory Douglas.
The past year saw an impressive set of covers from weekly trade magazines, including AdWeek, Advertising Age, The Hollywood Reporter, and especially Billboard, under the direction of creative director Andrew Horton. This week the Billboard ownership announced a change in leadership and editorial direction which signals a revamp of the magazine’s content, design, and visuals. […]
Although Elvis Presley died in 1977, the tabloid Weekly World News spent many years trying to convince people that he was still alive. They published a series of covers that featured “exclusive” photos and interviews with the King, as well as the shocking expose that “Elvis’ Tomb Is Empty!” Apparently Elvis sightings have diminished in […]
I spend a lot of my time these days traveling around Manhattan to various doctors offices and hospitals. It’s all part of the rehab and recovery that I’m undergoing in the wake of my accident in March. The result is that I spend many hours on city buses and subways, and waiting in medical offices. […]
Here’s our first annual Holiday Book Gift Guide. There’s something for everyone on your gifting list (including me!), as well as some goodies for the kids. We’ve even included handy links so you can buy your book presents with a click of the mouse! (Special note: If you buy a copy of one of these […]
