Joseph L. Underwood, Assistant Professor of Art History for Africa and its Diaspora (above image, right), and Tameka Ellington, Interim Assistant Dean of College of the Arts and Associate Professor of Fashion (above image, left), are the co-curators of the upcoming exhibition at Kent State University, Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair. They come at the collection from different backgrounds but are united in a mission to showcase Black art and history, particularly, in the case of this collaboration, Black hair.

     Ellington has been working in the fashion world since 1999 with a B.A. in Fashion Design, M.A. in Apparel and Textile Design, and Ph.D. in Curriculum Studies. This combines with her years of hands-on experience as both an instructor and within the fashion industry. She was the first African American professor in her department at Kent State, a move which she says showed “my strength…I did not know I had this much strength in me.”

     Underwood’s academic background includes degrees in Art History from Transylvania University and Stony Brook University. While he has been at Kent State for three and a half years, he taught at a handful of other schools prior to that position. For him, the draw to Kent State was due to the area. “The region is so interconnected—you can be in the South, New England, or Canada within a few hours. The Cleveland area also has a burgeoning art scene so it’s exciting to be developing a new art history program at Kent State in the midst of such a dynamic environment.”

     The upcoming exhibition stands as a continuation of a long-time area of research for Ellington. She says, “The study of Black beauty, particularly Black hair, has been my life’s’ work since 2002. It is a topic very close to my heart and my ancestral lineage. Black hair is the cause of so much pain and so much joy. It’s important to tell the story in hope of bringing more human understanding among Black and those who are non-Black.” For Underwood, it is a reflection of what he values about his position: “I get to research art and culture as it happens. I know that the histories I manifest in my publications or exhibitions will eventually help shape what the future remembers about African art right now. It can be a lot of pressure, but it’s also a privilege.”


Their advice for their younger selves?

    “You got this!! Fear is debilitating, so, girl, get out there and show them what you are made of. Show them whose child you are!!” – Tameka Ellington

     “Don’t grow up too quickly—tomorrow comes with its own troubles soon enough.” – Joseph L. Underwood


     In February 2021, Ellington and Underwood were featured in a Dress & Drinks webinar that can be seen on our YouTube channel. You can check out all of our Curator Profiles by clicking here.


~Profile written by Lauren Clark

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