The Donald P. Sowell Committee

The Donald P. Sowell Endowment Committee (Sowell Committee) was established in 1993 as a tribute to Donald P. Sowell (1929-1989), an important Cincinnati artist and art educator.

Join the Sowell Committee Register for a Program Donate to Art & Sowell

The Sowell Committee promotes greater interaction and involvement of the African American community with the Cincinnati Art Museum. In doing so they oversee an endowment in Mr. Sowell’s name and act as a recommending body for the disbursements of its funds to promote African American art, programs, exhibitions and other art forms of interest to the African American community. The Sowell Committee also provides educational and social fundraising activities that benefit the endowment and the museum.

All programs will begin at 2 p.m., unless otherwise noted. We kindly request that you RSVP for all programs to [email protected].

Board Members

Cynthia Collins, Chair
Linda Meador, Secretary
Myra Paige-Livingston, Treasurer
Jim Jones, Past Chair
Katrina Mundy, Past Chair
Consuelo Harris, Member-at-Large

Annual Dues

$50 per person

For more information, please contact the Philanthropy Office at [email protected] or 513-639-2865.

If you need accessibility accommodations, please contact us in advance at [email protected] or fill out the accessibility request form.

2026 Programs

Sunday, January 11, 2026, 2–4 p.m., Fath Auditorium

Hear from Peter Jonathan Bell, PhD, Curator of European Paintings, Sculpture and Drawings about the Cincinnati Art Museum’s collection of Renaissance art, specifically works from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This lecture will highlight the presence of Black Africans in European Art and offer essential insight into the developments that shaped this transformative period.

Sunday, February 1, 2–4 p.m. Fath Auditorium

Join Peter Niehoff, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Film and Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati, as he examines the history of film, spotlighting Oscar Micheaux—the first major Black filmmaker in the United States—and his clash with D.W. Griffith.

Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Fath Auditorium 
We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe

Register for the March Program

Join Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, creator and film director of We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe for a film screening and lecture discussion. This documentary showcases the overlooked contributions and diverse roles of Black Africans in European history, as reflected in the works of some of the era’s most celebrated artists. Fath Auditorium doors open at 11:30 am.

Museum members $5
Guests $10

Sunday, April 12, 2-4 p.m. Fath Auditorium

Register for the April Program

Be among the first to experience the premiere of “Threaded with Love,” a powerful new film by local filmmaker and fashion designer Alisha Lee. Step into Lee’s world as she shares her inspiring journey—one stitched together by creativity, courage, and the unwavering strength of community. This debut film explores what becomes possible when we set aside fear and boldly ask, “What if?” A panel discussion will follow the screening.