Relationships with Black Artists
Romare Bearden
Richard Long met Romare Bearden met during his time at Hampton University when Long was the Curator of the Hampton Museum of Fine Art in 1966. The two bonded over art and the current conditions black people thoughtout their time as friends, with Long often spending holidays with Romare and His wife Nanette in both their New York and St. Marteen home. Over the years of their friendship Bearden gifted a number of his paintings to Long with he kept in his home until the time of his death.
Beauford Delaney
Richard Long's Friendship with Beauford Delaney began in Paris in 1957. During that Time Long was Studying for his doctorate at the University of Paris. Like Many other American Expatries, Richard Long saw Paris as a city endless expression for the black mind and spirit and made frequent trips to the city for remander of his life. But, from the mid 1950s until the early 1970s, Dr. Long spent time with Delaney and James Baldwin anytime he found himself in Paris( which was every summer) . Dr. Long and Delaney connected through art, literature and lessen racial madness of the 20th century United States. In 1965, Beauford Comissioned "Portrait of Richard Long" as gift of their friendship. As Beauford Delaney's mental health deteriorated in the Late 1960s and Early 1970s , Long and others close to Dalaney, began to collect pieces of his art collection to exhibited arcoss the United States in effort to support Delaney and highlight his work. Delaney Died in 1979, but he reminded central to Dr. Long's work in the following decades. In 2000, Dr. Long donoated the "Potrait of Richard Long" to The High Museum of Art in Atlanta Georgia, where it is still on display.
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou and Richard Long met sometime in the 1970s where began their lifelong friendship based in curiousity and scholarhip related to the black experience. Angelou and Long remained close throughout the decades often inviting one another to guest lectuer at their respected universitites and homes. Angelou became Long's closet friend out note, and was often seen together throughout various holidays, Birthdays and vacations. Althought their intial connection began through their mutual respect of their work, Angelou and Long's relationship sooned blossmed to one of the more meaningful connections in Long's life.
Alain Locke
Richard Long and Alain First meet during Richard Long's time at Temple University in the mid to late 1940s. As a premier black scholar and fellow Philadelpha Native, Locke served as an early mentee for a young Richard Long who was inmanmured by the Harlem Renaissance and Black Scholarship. With Locke being considered the "Dean" of the Harlem Renaissance for who was the first editor of the "New Negro" which is considered a foundational literacy publication highlighting the Harlem Renaissance. Until the time of Alain Locke's death Long and Locke remained in communcation. As an honor to his late mentor and friend, Locke remained a source of inspiration for Long's work surrounding Black Scholar and the Harlem Renaissance.
