East Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Beauford Delaney

1901-1979

⎯⎯⎯
Joseph Delaney

1904-1991

Beauford Delaney Marker side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 20, 2021

1. Beauford Delaney Marker side

Inscription.
Beauford Delaney
1901-1979 Beauford Delaney is considered one of the greatest abstract painters of the 20th century. Battling poverty, racial prejudice and mental illness, he achieved acclaim for his expressive portraits, cityscapes and abstractions. An African American artist, Beauford was one of 10 children born to the Rev. John Samuel and Delia Elizabeth Johnson Delaney at 815 East Vine Avenue near this site. He spent most of his life in New York City and Paris, France, forming lifelong friendships with writers James Baldwin, Henry Miller, and other luminaries. Beauford Delaney is buried in Cimetiere Parisien de Thiais.

Joseph Delaney
1904-1991 Born near this site, Joseph Delaney, an African American artist, like his older brother Beauford, studied under local artist Lloyd Branson. In 1930, Joseph began his studies in New York at the Art Students League. He spent the next 56 years painting portraits and scenes of urban life in lower Manhattan. In 1986, he returned to Knoxville and served as artist-in-residence at the University of Tennessee until his death in 1991. His works are in the collection of the Smithsonian

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American Art Museum and other major museums. Joseph Delaney is buried in Knoxville's Greenwood Cemetery.

Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1E 129.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list.

Location. 35° 58.205′ N, 83° 54.823′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. It is in East Knoxville. It is on East Summit Hill Drive Southeast east of Patton Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 East Summit Hill Drive Southeast, Knoxville TN 37915, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee

Joseph Delaney Marker side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 20, 2021

2. Joseph Delaney Marker side

Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 400 Mulvaney Street (approx. ¼ mile away); Richard Clarke (approx. ¼ mile away); Vinnies Italian Restaurant (approx. ¼ mile away); Patrick Sullivan's Saloon (approx. ¼ mile away); Cal Fackler Johnson (approx. 0.3 miles away); C. Kermit “Buck” Ewing (approx. 0.3 miles away); Archie Campbell / Chet Atkins (approx. 0.4 miles away); Robert Birdwell (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Also see . . .
1. Beauford Delaney. Biography and examples of his work, from The Johnson Collection. (Submitted on February 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Joseph Delaney. Biography and examples of his work, from The Johnson Collection. (Submitted on February 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Beauford Delaney / Joseph Delaney Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 20, 2021

3. Beauford Delaney / Joseph Delaney Marker

Beauford Delaney image. Click for full size.

Carl Van Vechten / Public domain, 1952

4. Beauford Delaney

Courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Photographed by Wikipedia / Fair use

5. Joseph Delaney

Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 637 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Beauford Delaney

1901-1979

⎯⎯⎯Joseph Delaney

1904-1991

⎯⎯⎯
Joseph Delaney