Alvin Ailey with Pan-African Flag in Gouache Shirt

Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in 1958, "to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience." "Throughout his lifetime, he was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America." - Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation (alvinailey.org) The only colors I used for this gouache rendition of Eric N. Hong's famous photo of Alvin Ailey are red and green with bit of tint with white paint for the highlights. No black paint was not used in the Pan-African flag background. The three Pan-African colors on the flag represent: Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation; Black: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa.