Kadir Nelson (May 15, 1974) is a

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–based painter, illustrator, and author who is best known for his paintings often featured on the covers of ''

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'' magazine, and album covers for

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

and

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. His work is focused on

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and

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. ''

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'' describes his work as: "sumptuous, deeply affecting work. Nelson’s paintings are drenched in ambience, and often overt symbolism. He has twice been a Caldecott honor recipient and won the 2020 Caldecott Medal for his book ''The Undefeated''.

Career

In 1996, Nelson began his career as a conceptual artist for

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...

's feature film '' Amistad'', and the animated feature film '' Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron''. Nelson has since designed several commemorative postage stamps for the

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including stamps featuring Wilt Chamberlain,

Joe Dimaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...

, and

Richard Wright Richard Wright may refer to: Arts * Richard Wright (author) (1908–1960), African-American novelist * Richard B. Wright (1937–2017), Canadian novelist * Richard Wright (painter) (1735–1775), marine painter * Richard Wright (artist) (born 19 ...

. He has also authored and/or illustrated over 30 picture books including, ''Brothers of the Knight'' by actress

Debbie Allen Deborah Kaye Allen (born January 16, 1950) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director, producer, and a former member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She has been nominated 20 times for an ...

, ''WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball'', which was featured on the cover of ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...

'' magazine, and ''Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans''. In 2013, Nelson was commissioned to paint his first cover for ''

'' magazine, a portrait of

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the ...

. Nelson has since created several memorable covers for the magazine including, ''Eustace Negro'', ''Schomburg Center, Harlem, New York'', and ''A Day at the Beach''.

Early life and education

Nelson was born in Washington D.C., and grew up in

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, New Jersey and

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, California, the son of author Emily Gunter and educator Lenwood Nelson. He received his early training in art from his uncle, Michael Morris, who is an artist and art instructor. Both his uncle and his high school art teacher taught him important artistic principles and techniques, including how to paint with oils. After developing an impressive portfolio during high school, Crawford High in San Diego, Kadir Nelson earned a partial scholarship to the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Nelson earned his BFA from

Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was founded in 1887 ...

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

in 1996.

Works

In August 1999, Nelson’s paintings depicting

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

scenes were featured in ''

'' magazine on its opening ''Leading Off pages''. They were some of the first paintings in a series of works that led to Nelson writing and illustrating a book commemorating the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues entitled, ''We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro Leagues Baseball,'' published by ''

Jump at the Sun Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW), formerly known as The Disney Publishing Group and Buena Vista Publishing Group, is the publishing subsidiary of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its imprints incl ...

'' in 2008. Nelson’s critically acclaimed authorial debut was created over the span of seven years and earned Nelson the

Sibert Medal The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal established by the Association for Library Service to Children The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a division of the American Library Association, and it is the world's largest ...

, a Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor. ''We Are the Ship'' was released by '' Brilliance Audio'' as an audiobook in 2009, narrated by voice actor Dion Graham. In 2008, Nelson was commissioned by the US House of Representatives to paint the official portrait of Representative Shirley Anita Chisholm. The original painting hangs in the

US Capitol Building The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill at ...

Washington DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

. In 2017, Nelson was commissioned to paint a portrait of Henrietta Lacks to promote HBO’s upcoming film, ''

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ''The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks'' (2010) is a non-fiction book by American author Rebecca Skloot. It was the 2011 winner of the National Academies Communication Award for best creative work that helps the public understanding of topics ...

'', based on the book by

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. The painting was exhibited at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in

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, Maryland and other venues. The painting was later co-acquired by the Smithsonian museums National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Album cover art

Nelson created the mural used as cover art for

Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...

's 2002 album '' Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories''. In 2005, Nelson was contacted by

to create a commissioned painting of the '' King of Pop''’s life story. The commission was delayed and shelved for several years until the untimely death of the singer in 2009. Upon which Nelson was tapped to resume the portrait to be used later for the posthumously released album titled ''

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''. On Friday, December 10, 2010, a poster depicting the ''Michael'' album artwork was erected at the Rectory Farm in

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, which broke a

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for the largest poster in the world. In 2013, Nelson was contacted by recording artist

to create two covers for his album '' Nothing Was the Same''. The album artwork became a signature work for the recording artist, and the subject of multiple internet memes. The album remained on the

Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...

sales chart for more than 400 weeks after its release in 2013.

Recognition and honors

Nelson has received multiple Gold and Silver Medals from the New York Society of Illustrators. In February 2014, Nelson was awarded the Hamilton King Award for best illustration of the year. Nelson is also the recipient of three

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

s for his illustrated picture books, and the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' Best Illustrated Book for ''We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball''. Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner. In 2020, Nelson won the Caldecott Medal and

Coretta Scott King Award The Coretta Scott King Award is an annual award presented by the Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table, part of the American Library Association (ALA). Named for Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., this award r ...

for his illustrations in '' The Undefeated''. He received an

for the book ''Just the Two of Us''. For his book, ''We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball'', he received the 2008 CASEY Award for best baseball book, the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. His book, ''

,'' was a Coretta Scott King Honor book in 2014.

Exhibitions

Nelson has had exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United States and the world, including the Muskegon Museum of Art, Chicago Art Institute, and

The Studio Museum in Harlem The Studio Museum in Harlem is an American art museum devoted to the work of artists of African descent. The museum's galleries are currently closed in preparation for a building project that will replace the current building, located at 144 W ...

. Kadir Nelson's portrait of Henrietta Lacks was recently jointly acquired by The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Lacks' portrait was commissioned by HBO.

Bibliography

Illustrations only unless otherwise indicated. * ''Brothers of the Knight'' by

. Dial, 1999. * ''Big Jabe'' by Jerdine Nolen.

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News C ...

, 2000. * ''Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream '' by Deloris and Roslyn Jordan.

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publi ...

, 2000. * ''Dancing in the Wings'', Debbie Allen. Dial, 2000. * ''Just the Two of Us'' by

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...

. Scholastic, 2001.(

) * ''Please, Baby, Please'' by Spike and Tonya Lee. Simon & Schuster, 2002. * ''Under the Christmas Tree'' by Nikki Grimes. HarperCollins, 2002. * ''The Village that Vanished'' by

Ann Grifalconi Ann Grifalconi (September 22, 1929 – February 19, 2020) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Born in New York, she studied art at the Cooper Union School of Art, where she received a certificate in advertising art in 1950. ...

. Dial, 2002. * ''Thunder Rose'' by Jerdine Nolen. Harcourt, 2003. * ''Ellington Was Not a Street'' by Ntozake Shange. Simon & Schuster, 2004. ( Coretta Scott King Author Award) * ''He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands'', illustrated by Kadir Nelson, based on the traditional song lyrics. Dial, 2005. * ''The Real Slam Dunk'' by Charisse Richardson. Dial, 2005. *''Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life'' by Jerdine Nolen. Simon & Schuster, 2005. * ''Please, Puppy, Please'' by Spike and Tonya Lee. Simon & Schuster, 2005. * '' Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom'', by Carole Boston Weatherford, Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2006 (2007 Caldecott Honor book) * '' Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad'', Ellen Levine. Scholastic, 2007.(2008 Caldecott Honor book) * ''Michael's Golden Rules'' by Deloris Jordan, introduction by

Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...

. Simon & Schuster, 2007. * '' We Are the Ship:The Story of Negro League Baseball'', written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, foreword by Hank Aaron, Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2008. * ''Abe's Hones Words'', by Doreen Rappaport. Hyperion, 2008. * ''Change Has Come: An Artist Celebrates Our American Spirit'', quotations from Barack Obama, black and white line drawings by Kadir Nelson. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009. * ''Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson'', by Sharon Robinson, Scholastic, 2009; * ''All God's Critters'', song lyrics by

Bill Staines William Russell Staines (February 6, 1947 – December 5, 2021) was an American folk musician and singer-songwriter from New Hampshire who wrote and performed songs with a wide array of subjects. Called "the Woody Guthrie of my generation" by s ...

, Simon & Schuster, 2009 * ''Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya'', by Donna Jo Napoli, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2010, * ''A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis'', by Matt de la Peña, Dial Books, 2011, * ''Nelson Mandela'', written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, 2013, * ''Baby Bear'', written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, 2014, * ''If You Plant a Seed'', written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, 2015, * * ''Blue Sky, White Stars'', written by Sarvinder Naberhaus and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, 2017, * '' The Undefeated'', written by

Kwame Alexander Kwame Alexander (born August 21, 1968) is an American writer of poetry and children's fiction. His verse novel ''The Crossover'' won the 2015 Newbery Medal and was selected as an Honor book for the Coretta Scott King Award. Personal life and edu ...

and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, 2019,

References

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(Simon & Schuster videos)
Nelson at 2009 National Book Festival
Library of Congress {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Kadir 20th-century American painters 21st-century American painters 21st-century American male artists African-American illustrators Album-cover and concert-poster artists American children's book illustrators American graphic designers American male painters American production designers American stamp designers Artists from San Diego Caldecott Medal winners Children's non-fiction writers Living people Painters from California Painters from Washington, D.C. Pratt Institute alumni The New Yorker people 1974 births 20th-century African-American painters 21st-century African-American artists 20th-century American male artists