David C. Driskell, an esteemed Hyattsville artist and University of Maryland professor who championed African-American art, died April 1 of coronavirus. He was 88.

A native of Georgia, Driskell first drew attention in 1976 for curating a landmark exhibition of black artists from 1750 to 1950 that helped establish the study of African-American art as an academic discipline.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree from Catholic University in Brookland just off Route 1.

As an artist, he worked in watercolor, gouache and collage, among other materials, and his work was shown in exhibitions in New York City.

He was also an avid collector of African-American art, and in 2001 the University of Maryland established the David C. Driskell Center, which houses his collection and conducts research on African-American art.

Driskell is said to have owned one of the finest private collections of African-American art in the world. He worked at the University of Maryland since 1977 and in 1995 he was given the title of Distinguished University Professor of Art. He taught up until his retirement in 1998.

In 2000, Driskell was honored as one of 12 recipients of the National Humanities Medal by President Bill Clinton. Five years later,  the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, established the David C. Driskell Prize, the first ever national award to commemorate contributions to the field of African-American art and art history

You can read more about Driskell’s life in the New York Times, the Washington Post, ARTnews and the Diamondback.