Roots of Pamoja
Pamoja Art Society started in the 1960s when artists Roosevelt Daniel, Henry Price, and Jesse Pitts Jr. leagued with their art students and a handful of fellow professional artists to display works at the corner of Ana and Douglas streets in the Allendale-Ledbetter heights disctrict. In 1974, the loose-knit group reorganizaed as the Pamoja Art Society, gaining a charter in 1977 and in 1990 moving from Sprague Street to the current 3806 Linwood Avenue address.
Daniel, a renown Southern University arts professor, born in New Orleans, studied under another Southern art department legend, Jean Paul Hubbard, at the university and eventually was the founding chairman of the FIne Arts Program at Southern University-Shreveport.
Mr. Daniel wanted to bring together community artists to promote their work while inspiring their progress. ” To do this, he wanted to encourage as many artist as he could to begin painting at least two or three works a month and to come together to critique one another’s work in order to promote continued personal growth as artists.” Roosevelt Davis Art Guild president Claude L White, Sr. writes in the organizations history. “By this, he believed everyone who earnestly participated would be helped to grow and improve their work.”
Touted as an honorable man of respect; A MASTER TEACHER with the ability to evaluate himself, while being non-judgmental with others. Mr. Daniels was a driving force in the Shreveport Arts Community
