She is the first woman of color to be honored with the American National Design Awards’ Lifetime Achievement from the Smithsonian Design Museum in 2018, and only the third woman. Anderson designed the 2013 Emancipation Proclamation US postage stamp. She also serves on the advisory board for the Adobe Design Achievement Awards. She has co-authored several books on design, is a teacher at the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts, and has lectured at colleges and design organizations throughout the country. Anderson has received awards from the Society of Publication Designers, the Type Directors Club, AIGA, the Art Directors Club, Graphis, Communication Arts, and Print, and her work is in permanent residence at the Library of Congress. Trailblazer Gail Anderson is an NYC-based designer and educator. Each tile had to be placed at a precise angle, he explained, ‘to catch the light.’” – At once homespun and carefully executed, Miller’s mosaics refracted the ‘light of his 7Up campaign to envision a reconstructed Chicago. He hand-painted each tile-thousands of them-and assembled them into a pre-planned grid. Harkening back to his army days, Miller sourced the material from offices around the city and broke them down with the help of his children. “Miller built his mosaics out of translucent plastic squares made from egg crate light diffusers, the mesh squares that filter light from overhead fluorescent bulbs common in late-twentieth-century workplaces. He made Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor, a central figure. The Jewish American Goldsholls sought to create a workplace where white Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans, men and women worked together as equals.Īfter Miller retired from Goldsholl’s, he stayed committed to the Civil Rights Movement and was commissioned to design the murals for the DuSable Museum of African American History. In interviews, Miller spoke about his appreciation for Millie and Morton Goldsholl, who hired him as one of their first graphic designers when they opened their design firm. And one potential employer offered to hire him but only if he sat behind a screen so no clients would see him. He was told he was talented but too dark. It wasn’t the violent racism of the Ku Klux Klan it was the polite racism of corporate America. In interviews, Miller talked about the racism he faced. When he returned home, he took advantage of the GI Bill to attend Ray-Vogue School of Art in Chicago and graduated with a degree in commercial and graphic art. Apparently, he even sold a few landscapes during his tour. The story goes that he made friends with a supply sergeant and was able to obtain some paints and used surplus army cots to paint on. While overseas and even in quite difficult conditions, he found ways to express his creativity. After graduating college, he enlisted in the army during WWII and was sent to Europe. He was the chief designer behind the iconic 1970s 7Up rebrand and worked on the team that designed logos for Motorola and the Peace Corps.ĭespite the adversity Miller faced, he never gave up on his dream to become a professional graphic designer. Thomas Millerįor the large part of his career, Miller worked for Morton Goldsholl Associates and was behind some of the most iconic corporate brands in America. These designers made and are making a positive (and beautiful) impact on our culture, society, and as a result, the world. Written by Lindsey Parker, Project Manager at Dot Think Designīlack History Month is a time to celebrate the contributions and impact that Black Americans have on our culture and society.Īnd, as the month closes out, we are spotlighting these three designers who have shaped graphic design but have not been given the recognition they deserve and have earned.
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