On View: Friday, Sept. 5 - Monday, Dec. 6, 2025
Opening Reception Tickets
Location: Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Academic Center Gallery
Rooted in Spelman College’s enduring commitment to Black women’s intellectual and creative excellence, this exhibition brings artist and educator Nancy Elizabeth Prophet— a foundational figure in the creation of Spelman’s art program—back to celebrate her enduring legacy.
As an Afro-Indigenous woman artist, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet (American, 1890 – 1960) pursued her practice in the face of entrenched racism and sexism. Her sculpture is unmatched in its emotional nuance and technical virtuosity, and her story is a model of unshakable determination. I Will Not Bend an Inch—the first museum examination of this underrecognized sculptor—honors Prophet’s remarkable work and legacy with timely new scholarship. Twenty rare works and historical documentation reveal how she navigated an unwelcoming art world.
Born in Rhode Island to a Narragansett father and a Black mother, Prophet became the first known woman of color to graduate from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. She then spent time in New York before moving to Paris. Despite earning critical acclaim in this period, the pinnacle of her career, she struggled with poverty and isolation, and several times found herself on the brink of starvation. Yet she remained dedicated to her practice. Nine portrait heads that she carved from hardwood, one belonging to the Brooklyn Museum, powerfully demonstrate Prophet’s skill—and are among only a handful of her works to survive. They are displayed alongside even rarer pieces, including marble carvings, reliefs, and works on paper.
Please reserve tickets for the opening reception for our latest exhibition, Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch, on Friday, Sept. 5, from 5 - 8 p.m. EDT.
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet: I Will Not Bend an Inch is organized by the RISD Museum and presented in collaboration with the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. This exhibition originated at the RISD Museum thanks to the generous federal, private, and endowment support. The presentation at Spelman College is made possible by the Friends of the Museum.