Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. (born 1948) is an American printer, book artist, and papermaker best known for social and political commentary, particularly in printed posters.[2] One critic noted that Kennedy is "...unafraid of asking uncomfortable questions about race and artistic pretension."[3]
From an early age, Kennedy was interested in letters and books and studied calligraphy for several years.[4] At the age of 40, Kennedy visited Colonial Williamsburg, a Virginia living history museum, and was mesmerized by an 18th-century print shop and book bindery demonstration. The incident so influenced that he studied printing at a community-based letterpress shop in Chicago[5] and, within a year quit his AT&T systems analyst job, which he had held for nearly two decades, to continue printmaking studies.[6]
Kennedy articulated his fascination with letterpress printing in one interview: "... I believe it was the capability of making multiples. Multiples of text are important to me. They allow for distribution."[6]
He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studied under legendary book designer Walter Hamady, and earned an MFA in 1997. He later taught graphic design at the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University.[7][8] His letterpress poster shop, Kennedy Prints, is located in Detroit, Michigan.[9]
Technique
Kennedy teaching a letterpress printing workshop at Washington University in St. Louis during the 2011 SGC International conference
Kennedy creates prints, posters and postcards from handset wood and metal type, oil-based inks, and eco-friendly and affordable chipboard. Many of the posters are inspired by proverbs, sayings, and quotes Kennedy locates or potential clients provide.[8]
Using hand presses, he "produces large editions of wildly colorful, typographically-driven posters on inexpensive chipboard stock, posters which are often so riotously layered with vibrant colors of ink as to retain a wet iridescence and tackiness years after they were printed. His working method often involves overprinting multiple layers of text ...resulting in no two prints being truly identical."[10]
Kennedy's Work
Having grown up during the Civil Rights Era in the 1960s, Kennedy saw the rise of Black Nationalism in the 1970s, and now living in the Post-Civil Rights era, Kennedy has seen how these have shaped Black identity and has used these as inspiration in his work.[11] His work is a blend of social commentary, folk art, and graphic design, creating resonant pieces that challenge traditional boundaries of art and politics. Kennedy isn’t afraid to push the boundaries and uses large graphic typography, bold colors and language that catch the eye and inspire others in the design field. As a self-taught artist, Kennedy has developed a unique style that is instantly recognizable for its expressive quality and striking typography. He has always been passionate about addressing the effects of white supremacy and racism, themes that are showcased throughout Kennedy’s work.[12]
Kennedy is known to use the words of popular activists like Rosa Parks and peaceful protests like the Selma to Montgomery marches and illustrated the names of lost lives during these movements.[13] The words themselves are central to Kennedy's work, serving not just as visuals but to convey messages that are thought-provoking and sometimes confrontational. These pieces function as more than art; they are a form of communication, drawing attention to the injustices faced by marginalized communities, particularly Black Americans. The unevenness of the printing process, where some letters appear more faded or offset than others, becomes part of the aesthetic and conveys a sense of human imperfection, struggle, and resilience. This imperfect quality also adds a layer of emotional depth to his prints, which suggests that social issues cannot be neatly resolved or erased.
He has created works that address the violence and oppression from law enforcement, as well as the dehumanizing stereotypes that have historically been used to justify racial inequalities. Much like Kennedy's work in the book section ‘Why is This Book Needed?’ Anne H Berry explains that ‘The deaths of these black Americans…served as a spark…’ both to protests and to writings on what needs to change. (Berry and Kennedy, 2022, p.22). His pieces engage directly with themes of racial injustice, violence, and inequality, challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths. As Kennedy stated in an interview, “The words are not just decoration—they are part of the art’s purpose” (Kennedy, 2012). This focus on text allows Kennedy to bridge the gap between art and activism, using the medium of print to communicate directly with a wide audience.
In addition to his printmaking, he has been an active participant in workshops and collaborative art projects, engaging with communities across the United States. Kennedy believes that art should not be confined to galleries or elite spaces; instead, it should be a tool for collective empowerment. As he explains, “Art has the potential to change society, but only if people are involved in making it” (Kennedy, 2011).
A study from 2019 shows that African American artists get much less attention from major art museums, showing us that ‘85.4% of the works in the collections of all major US museums belong to white artists, and 87.4% are by men. African American artists have the lowest share with just 1.2% of the works; Asian artists with 9%; and Hispanic and Latino artists only 2.8%’.[14]
Despite challenges, his work remains vital, and there is a growing movement in the design community to recognise and celebrate these diverse perspectives.
Amos Kennedy Print Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. Collection of posters and prints cover social subjects of Civil Rights, presidential campaigns, voting, performing arts (music, film, theater), art, books, handcrafts etc. 286 items.[29]
Kennedy & Sons Collection, Emory University, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Atlanta, GA.[30] Collection from Kennedy & Sons, Fine Printers (African American commercial printing business), 1990–2015, 6.5 linear ft. (11 boxes) and oversized papers.
Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. collection Printers, UC Santa Barbara Library, Special Collection, Santa Barbara, CA.[31] Letterpress posters, broadsides, postcards, fans, publications and clippings, 1997–2013, 50.62 linear feet.
Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. collection, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.[32] Letterpress prints including posters, business cards, broadsides, fans, and maps as well as publications and clippings, 2000–2019, 17 boxes.
Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. ephemera collection, Modern Manuscripts and Archives, the Newberry Library. Letterpress posters, paper fans, broadsides, greetings cards, and other ephemera dating from 1990 through approximately 2012. 2.7 linear feet, 2 boxes.[33]
Selected bibliography
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (1992), How Wisdom Came to the World, Jubilee Press (Oak Park, Illinois), OCLC29590990
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (1994), Strange Fruit: Words Protesting Lynchings and Burnings, Jubilee Press (Oak Park, Illinois), OCLC30697930
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (1995), 67 children murdered in Chicagoland in 1994, OCLC56896180
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (1996), Juneteenth day 1996: freedom, OCLC55081932
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (1997), Generosity, Jubilee Press (Oak Park, Illinois), OCLC37211424
Kennedy Jr., Amos Paul (2000), Kwanzaa is a way of life that we celebrate! (miniature book), OCLC47211040
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
