When Rice University in Houston was founded a century ago, admissions were restricted by the university’s charter to members of the White race. It was 1965 before litigation filed the university allowed it to admit Black students.
Now the university is planning to show a major exhibit of African American art as part of its centennial celebration. The Larry and Brenda Thompson Collection of African American Art, featuring 72 works by 67 different artists, will be on display at the university from September 13 to November 18. Among the artists in the collection are Henry O. Tanner, Romare Bearden, and Howardena Pindell.
Most of the artists have ties to the Atlanta community, where Larry and Brenda Thompson have resided for several decades. Their son, Larry Thompson Jr., is a 1998 graduate of Rice University.
