Amos Paul Kennedy Jr.

Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. is a self-proclaimed “humble Negro printer” whose letterpress work represents the messages and identities of African-Americans whose “words… have largely been excluded from ‘fine print.’” Originally an AT&T systems analyst, Kennedy Jr dedicated his life to print making after seeing a letterpress demonstration in Colonial Williamsburg at the age of 40. Collected by universities, museums, and libraries across the US, Kennedy uses traditional letterpress techniques to create richly colored, hand-pulled prints that often incorporate messages and aphorisms that spur conversation about race and class. Through his layered printing of simple text and pattern, Kennedy’s work encourages reflection on historical and current African-American identities and overlap between the struggles of the Civil Rights movement and contemporary needs for bold action to pursue social justice. Kennedy has a BA in Mathematics from Grambling State University in Louisiana and an MFA in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Photo by Garrett MacLean