Library Program on Artist Aaron Douglas set for February 7

Library Program on Artist Aaron Douglas set for February 7

Published on February 03, 2026

Lincoln City Libraries (LCL) will host a free presentation exploring the early years of influential artist Aaron Douglas from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, February 7, at Bennett Martin Public Library, 136 S. 14th St.

Douglas (1899-1979) lived and worked in Lincoln from 1918 to 1922 while completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. During that time, he became the first African American student in fine arts at the University of Nebraska. He later moved to Harlem, where he joined a vibrant community of writers and artists who shaped the Harlem Renaissance.

The program will highlight Douglas' artistic legacy, including his illustrations for books by Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson, as well as his iconic murals at Fisk University and the Countee Cullen Branch of the New York Public Library.

The presentation will be led by Steve Shively, a retired English professor whose teaching and research focused on Nebraska authors, multicultural literature and the teaching of English. He served for 22 years on the board of governors of the Willa Cather Foundation, currently serves on the board of the Nebraska Literary Heritage Association, and in 2023 received the Mildred Bennett Award from the Nebraska Center for the Book.

"Douglas is often considered the Father of Black American Art, and his time at the University of Nebraska was crucial to his artistic development," Shively said.

For more information about Lincoln City Libraries programs and events, visit lincolnlibraries.org.