Welcome to Episode 3 of Art Against Empire!

Stephen Towns paints and quilts the histories that America tried to erase, from Nat Turner's rebellion to forgotten spaces of Black joy.

In 2018, Stephen became the first African American artist-in-residence at Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. Not 1968, 2018! There, he created a portrait of Elsie Henderson, the Black woman who ran that famous house for decades yet whose story had been reduced to footnotes.

Stephen's journey began with a quilt inspired by his sister's words: "How can you disrespect me when my grandmother literally fed your grandfather?" We explore his research process: visiting rebellion sites, interviewing descendants, and recovering stories that refuse to stay buried. Plus, you'll hear Stephen's first major curator, Kilolo Luckett, on uplifting Black voices in the current political moment.

Art Against Empire is edited by Shawn Dearn and produced by Secret Agents. Visit artagainstempire.net for photos, transcripts, and resources.