. A SHARED HERITAGE African American culture flourished through his painting to inspire the received early instruction from promi­ in the mid- to late-1920s. Countee Cullen artistic talents of Indianapolis's black nent members of the Hoosier Group, published his first volume of poems, community. John We sley Hardrick primarily William Forsyth (1854-.-1935) Color(19 25); the \#a ry Blues (1926) by (1891-1968), fo r a brochure accom­ and Otto Stark (1859-1926). Hardrick, Langston Hughes appeared on popular panying an exhibition of his paintings, Scott, and Wo odruff were among a reading lists; satirist George S. Schuyler wrote that his goal was "to stimulate growing number of aspiring black artists wrote fo r The American Mercury; and an interest among the colored citizens who were participating in the devel­ Claude McKay's novel Home to Ha rlem of Indianapolis to encourage art; to in­ opment of American art on a regional (1928) became a best-seller. These spire, if possible, some young talented and national basis during the early RAINY NIGHT, ETAPLES. 1912. WILLIAM E. SCOT T. INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART, GIFT OF A GROUP OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CITIZENS OF INDIANAPOLIS. African Americans were among the boy or girl to realize that 'Life without 1900s. They also seized a "chance fo r many who contributed to a literary and labor is a crime, and labor without art group expression and self determina­ artistic movement known as the Harlem is brutality."' tion" by turning to black subject mat­ Renaissance. Through art, leader and Hardrick and his contemporaries ter in their work. chief interpreter of the movement William Edouard Scott (1884-1964) William Edouard Scott studied Alain Locke said in 1926, "Negro life and Hale Aspacio Wo odruff(1 900-1980) under Otto Stark at Emmerich Manual is seizing its first chance fo r group were members of Indianapolis's black Training High School in Indianapolis expression and self determination." community who would make names fo r and attended the School of the Art As early as 1914, far from Harlem, a themselves in the art world. Although Institute of Chicago; in 1909 Scott trav­ young African American artist hoped their later art training varied, they each eled to Paris fo r further instruction. By Wi11ter 1996 41 .