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Faith Ringgold was born in 1930 in Harlem, where she was influenced by the artists of the Harlem Renaissance. After receiving a degree in art from the City College of New York, she taught art in the New York City Public School system for 18 years.
Ringgold is best known for her vibrant story quilts, where she paints a complex scene on a quilt, then surrounds the action with words to tell the story, such as in her “Tar Beach” and “Tar Beach II” quilts, or to add meaning, like in her “Freedom of Speech.” Her first book, Tar Beach was a Caldecott Honor Book and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. Ms. Ringgold currently works as a Professor of Art at the University of California in San Diego.