Kadir Nelson

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American painter, illustrator, and author (born 1974)

title: "Kadir Nelson" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["20th-century-american-painters", "21st-century-american-painters", "21st-century-american-male-artists", "african-american-illustrators", "21st-century-american-illustrators", "american-album-cover-and-concert-poster-artists", "american-children's-book-illustrators", "american-graphic-designers", "american-male-painters", "american-production-designers", "american-stamp-designers", "artists-from-san-diego", "caldecott-medal-winners", "american-non-fiction-children's-writers", "living-people", "painters-from-california", "painters-from-washington,-d.c.", "pratt-institute-alumni", "the-new-yorker-people", "1974-births", "20th-century-african-american-painters", "20th-century-african-american-women-artists", "21st-century-african-american-artists", "20th-century-american-male-artists", "sibert-medal-winners", "caldecott-honor-winners", "coretta-scott-king-award-winners", "writers-who-illustrated-their-own-writing"] description: "American painter, illustrator, and author (born 1974)" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadir_Nelson" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American painter, illustrator, and author (born 1974) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox artist"]

FieldValue
nameKadir Nelson
imageKadir Nelson - Los Angeles Comic Con 2025.jpg
captionNelson in 2025
birth_name
birth_date
birth_placeWashington, DC
baptised
death_date
resting_place_coordinates
nationalityAmerican
alma_materPratt Institute
known_forMagazine cover illustrations
styleConceptual artist
fatherLenwood Nelson (educator)
motherEmily Gunther (author)
awards
website
::

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Kadir Nelson (May 15, 1974) is a Los Angeles-based painter, illustrator, and author who is best known for his paintings often featured on the covers of The New Yorker magazine, and album covers for Michael Jackson and Drake. His work is focused on African-American culture and history. The New York Times described his work as "sumptuous, deeply affecting work. Nelson’s paintings are drenched in ambience, and often overt symbolism. He has twice been a Caldecott honor recipient and won the 2020 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in The Undefeated.

Career

In 1996, Nelson began his career as a conceptual artist for Steven Spielberg's feature film Amistad, and the animated feature film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Nelson has since designed several commemorative postage stamps for the United States Postal Service including stamps featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Joe Dimaggio, and Richard Wright. He has also authored and/or illustrated over 30 picture books including, Brothers of the Knight by actress Debbie Allen, WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball, which was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, and Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. In 2013, Nelson was commissioned to paint his first cover for The New Yorker magazine, a portrait of Nelson Mandela. Nelson has since created several memorable covers for the magazine including, Eustace Negro, Schomburg Center, Harlem, New York, and A Day at the Beach.

Early life and education

Nelson was born in Washington D.C., and grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey and San Diego, California, the son of author Emily Gunter and educator Lenwood Nelson. He received his early training in art from his uncle, Michael Morris, who is an artist and art instructor. Both his uncle and his high school art teacher taught him important artistic principles and techniques, including how to paint with oils. After developing an impressive portfolio during high school, Crawford High in San Diego, Kadir Nelson earned a partial scholarship to the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Nelson earned his BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York in 1996.

Works

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Kadir_Nelson_2017.jpg" caption="Nelson at the 2017 Texas Book Festival"] ::

In August 1999, Nelson’s paintings depicting Negro league baseball scenes were featured in Sports Illustrated magazine on its opening Leading Off pages. They were some of the first paintings in a series of works that led to Nelson writing and illustrating a book commemorating the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues entitled, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro Leagues Baseball, published by Jump at the Sun in 2008. Nelson’s critically acclaimed authorial debut was created over the span of seven years and earned Nelson the Sibert Medal, a Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor. We Are the Ship was released by Brilliance Audio as an audiobook in 2009, narrated by voice actor Dion Graham.

In 2008, Nelson was commissioned by the US House of Representatives to paint the official portrait of Representative Shirley Anita Chisholm. The original painting hangs in the US Capitol Building in Washington DC.

In 2017, Nelson was commissioned to paint a portrait of Henrietta Lacks to promote HBO’s upcoming film, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, based on the book by Rebecca Skloot. The painting was exhibited at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, Maryland and other venues. The painting was later co-acquired by the Smithsonian museums National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Album cover art

Nelson created the mural used as cover art for Swizz Beatz's 2002 album Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories.

In 2005, Nelson was contacted by Michael Jackson to create a commissioned painting of the King of Pop’s life story. The commission was delayed and shelved for several years until the untimely death of the singer in 2009. Upon which Nelson was tapped to resume the portrait to be used later for the posthumously released album titled Michael. On Friday, December 10, 2010, a 29070 sqft poster depicting the Michael album artwork was erected at the Rectory Farm in Middlesex, England, which broke a Guinness World Record for the largest poster in the world.

In 2013, Nelson was contacted by recording artist Drake to create two covers for his album Nothing Was the Same. The album artwork became a signature work for the recording artist, and the subject of multiple internet memes. The album remained on the Billboard 200 sales chart for more than 400 weeks after its release in 2013.

Recognition and honors

Nelson has received multiple Gold and Silver Medals from the New York Society of Illustrators. In February 2014, Nelson was awarded the Hamilton King Award for best illustration of the year. Nelson is also the recipient of three NAACP Image Awards for his illustrated picture books, and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book for We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.

Nelson won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award three times, in 2005, 2007, and 2020. He also won the Caldecott Honor twice, in 2007 and 2008. For his book We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball he received the 2008 CASEY Award for best baseball book, the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. He won the Coretta Scott King Author Award again in 2012 for Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. In 2020, Nelson won the Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in The Undefeated.

Exhibitions

Nelson has had exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United States and the world, including the Muskegon Museum of Art, Chicago Art Institute, and The Studio Museum in Harlem.

Kadir Nelson's portrait of Henrietta Lacks was jointly acquired by The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Lacks' portrait was commissioned by HBO. His portrait of José Andrés is in the collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

Bibliography

Illustrations only unless otherwise indicated.

References

References

  1. (6 February 2013). "Black History Greats 'Nelson Mandela,' by Kadir Nelson, and More". The New York Times.
  2. (December 4, 2014). "Wilt the Stilt Becomes Wilt the Stamp". The New York Times.
  3. New York City. "Baseball - New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art". Postalmuseum.si.edu.
  4. "Richard Wright Immortalized on Postage".
  5. "Children's Book Review: Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen, Author, Toby Sherry, Editor, Kadir Nelson, Illustrator Dial Books $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8037-2488-4".
  6. "Illustrated Book Chronicles Negro League Pioneers".
  7. "March 10, 2008 Issue Viewer".
  8. "'Heart And Soul': An African-American History".
  9. (2013-05-07). "Cover Story: Nelson Mandela, Hero".
  10. (2015-02-16). "Cover Story: Nine for Ninety".
  11. (2016-02-15). "Cover Story: "Schomburg Center, Harlem, New York," by Kadir Nelson".
  12. (2016-07-04). "Cover Story: Kadir Nelson's "A Day at the Beach"".
  13. "CV". KadirNelson.com.
  14. Johnson, Virginia, [http://www.librarypoint.org/kadir_nelson Author of the Month: Kadir Nelson]," Librarypoint, Central Rappahannock Library District. Retrieved 3 July 2016
  15. "[http://www.wearetheship.com/about-the-author.html We are the ship; About the author and artist]." Retrieved 3 July 2016
  16. (1 February 2010). "TheGrio's 100: Kadir Nelson, drawing from the past to illustrate hope".
  17. "August 30, 1999 Issue Viewer".
  18. "WE ARE THE SHIP by Kadir Nelson - Kirkus Reviews".
  19. "Children's Book Review: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson, Author, Kadir Nelson, Illustrator, Hank Aaron, Foreword by . Hyperion/Jump at the Sun $18.99 (96p) ISBN 978-0-7868-0832-8".
  20. "Best Illustrated Children's Books 2008 - The New York Times > Books > Slide Show > Slide 2 of 11".
  21. "American Library Association announces literary award winners {{!}} ALA".
  22. "Shirley Anita Chisholm - US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives".
  23. (11 April 2017). "Jazmine Sullivan, Kadir Nelson Bring Henrietta Lacks To Life".
  24. Smith, Ryan P.. "Famed for "Immortal" Cells, Henrietta Lacks is Immortalized in Portraiture".
  25. USA TODAY. (14 December 2010). "Michael Jackson's album-cover art".
  26. "New Michael Jackson Album Out December 14".
  27. "Michael Jackson Asked Album-Cover Artist To Paint Him Before He Died".
  28. (2010-12-10). "Michael Jackson Poster breaks records".
  29. "DRAKE'S NOTHING WAS THE SAME COVER EXPLAINED!".
  30. "Hilarious Photoshopped Versions of Drake's "Nothing Was The Same" Album Cover".
  31. "Nothing Was the Same".
  32. "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present {{!}} Coretta Scott King Roundtable".
  33. "2020 Winners and Honors {{!}} Coretta Scott King Roundtable".
  34. James, Erika R.. "LibGuides: Caldecott Award & Honor Winners: 2007 Winner & Honorees".
  35. James, Erika R.. "LibGuides: Caldecott Award & Honor Winners: 2008 Winner & Honorees".
  36. "CASEY Award". Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine.
  37. (January 26, 2009). "Kadir Nelson wins 2009 Sibert Medal". American Library Association.
  38. "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present {{!}} Coretta Scott King Roundtable".
  39. "Graphic Novel Wins Newbery Medal for the First Time". New York Times.
  40. (8 January 2011). "'We Are the Ship: Story of Negro League Baseball' at Muskegon Museum of Art".
  41. Kimmelman, Michael. (26 April 2002). "ART REVIEW; A Black World Of Ins and Outs". The New York Times.
  42. "National Portrait Gallery Presents a Portrait of Henrietta Lacks".
  43. Institution, Smithsonian. "National Portrait Gallery Announces "Portrait of a Nation: 2022 Honorees," Exhibition of Newly Commissioned Portraits, To Open Nov. 10".
  44. Nolen, Jerdine. "Big Jabe - Jerdine Nolen - Paperback".
  45. "SimonSays's On Demand Pages on Vimeo".
  46. "Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen - PenguinRandomHouse.com".
  47. "''Just the Two of Us'', Scholastic website".
  48. "SimonSays's On Demand Pages on Vimeo".
  49. "''The Village that Vanished'' at Penguin USA website".
  50. "SimonSays's On Demand Pages on Vimeo".
  51. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson - PenguinRandomHouse.com".
  52. "''The Real Slam Dunk'' at Scholastic website".
  53. (January 2005). "''Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life'' at Simon & Schuster website". Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books.
  54. "SimonSays's On Demand Pages on Vimeo".
  55. "Disney Books Official Site - Disney Publishing Worldwide".
  56. "SimonSays's On Demand Pages on Vimeo".
  57. "WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL. Words and Paintings by Kadir Nelson".
  58. Margolick, David. (April 8, 2011). "Children's Books - 'A Nation's Hope' and 'Bird in a Box'". The New York Times.

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