Mildred Howard on Public Art, Activism, and Hidden Truths

Renowned Bay Area artist Mildred Howard joins the podcast to discuss her five-decade career in public art, assemblage, installation, printmaking, collage, and multimedia sculpture. Born in San Francisco and raised in Berkeley, Howard reflects on growing up in a politically active Black family, the influence of her mother, Mabel Howard, and the role of art in preserving overlooked histories.In this conversation, Howard discusses Bay Area activism, gentrification, redlining, public monuments, Black history, travel, jazz, education, and her ongoing commitment to telling different stories through art. She also reflects on works and projects, including Collaborating with the Muses, Untold Histories and Hidden Truths, her public artworks, and her upcoming exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California.