--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to be the first…" description: "\"The ability to be the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States is absolutely overwhelming. It ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/132/kehinde-wiley-1194_ability_the-ability-to-be-the-first-african-amer_2420007.jpg" --- # The ability to be the first African-American painter to… ![“The ability to be the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States is absolutely overwhelming. It doesn't get any better than that.” quote by Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/132/kehinde-wiley-1194_ability_the-ability-to-be-the-first-african-amer_2420007.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/132/kehinde-wiley-1194_ability_the-ability-to-be-the-first-african-amer_2420007.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/132/kehinde-wiley-1194_ability_the-ability-to-be-the-first-african-amer_2420007.jpg) > “The ability to be the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States is absolutely overwhelming. It doesn't get any better than that.” [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Celebrating historic firsts in representation and cultural impact. **In simple terms:** First African-American painter of an African-American president is overwhelming. Key Takeaway Embrace pioneering moments. Themes representation achievement history culture pride Mood proud inspired Type celebratory historical When to use this quote - gallery openings - public speaking - educational workshops Key Concepts African-American art political symbolism breaking barriers Questions to Reflect On - How can you support emerging artists? - What does representation mean to you? A Different Perspective Impact may be fleeting without sustained advocacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [American president](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-president/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [I taught myself to paint African-Americans, mostly people roughly my skin tone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-taught-myself-to-paint-african-americans-mostly-people-roughly-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [“When the world one loves is seen to be dying, the viewer dies a little with it. A great American painter, Reginald Marsh, exemplifies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-world-one-loves-is-seen-to-be-dying-the-viewer-dies-a-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act-rather than as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/at-a-certain-moment-the-canvas-began-to-appear-to-one-american/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [I didn't think much about Marsden Hartley until very recently, but Gertrude Stein found him to be the best American painter in Europe at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-indiana/i-didn-t-think-much-about-marsden-hartley-until-very-recently-but/) [Robert Indiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-indiana/) > [I think that there are some people on the so-called Left who might say we have to circle our wagons around the first African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/i-think-that-there-are-some-people-on-the-so-called-left-who-might/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [What I want to do is basically tell my generation's story about how music and culture helped affect a generation, and a generation that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stoute/what-i-want-to-do-is-basically-tell-my-generation-s-story-about-how/) [Steve Stoute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stoute/) > [I happen to think that Hillary Clinton is a beacon of hope for younger girls, as was Barack Obama in other inspirational areas. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-meneses/i-happen-to-think-that-hillary-clinton-is-a-beacon-of-hope-for/) Alex Meneses > [While we dance in the streets and pat ourselves on the back for being a nation great enough to reach beyond racial divides to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-fierstein/while-we-dance-in-the-streets-and-pat-ourselves-on-the-back-for-being/) [Harvey Fierstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-fierstein/) > [There are individuals who are working very hard to promote fear and antagonism towards Islam and Muslims in this country. It's fueled, in part,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feisal-abdul-rauf/there-are-individuals-who-are-working-very-hard-to-promote-fear-and/) [Feisal Abdul Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feisal-abdul-rauf/) > [When people see Barack Obama, they don't necessarily see an African-American president. They see someone who is a child of immigrants. They see someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-meng/when-people-see-barack-obama-they-don-t-necessarily-see-an-african/) [Grace Meng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-meng/) > [Everyone says we have our first African American president. Has there ever been a Jewish president? An Italian president? They don't say a damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-irvin/everyone-says-we-have-our-first-african-american-president-has-there/) [Monte Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monte-irvin/) > [I have never been more proud of the United States than I am this year. We have elected an African-American president. We have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/i-have-never-been-more-proud-of-the-united-states-than-i-am-this-year/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [My father is Nigerian; my mother is from Texas and African-American. My father was the first in his family to go to university. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-father-is-nigerian-my-mother-is-from-texas-and-african-american-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My mother's from Texas. Small town outside of Waco called Downsville. And my father's from Nigeria. And so I guess I'm properly African-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-mother-s-from-texas-small-town-outside-of-waco-called-downsville/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My belief is that it is most important for an artist to develop an approach and philosophy about life - if he has developed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-lawrence/my-belief-is-that-it-is-most-important-for-an-artist-to-develop-an/) [Jacob Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-lawrence/) ## More by Kehinde Wiley > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The erotic and the art historical imagination is something that gets very little play when people talk about my work, and when they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-erotic-and-the-art-historical-imagination-is-something-that-gets/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [At its best, what art does is, it points to who we as human beings and what we as human beings value. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/at-its-best-what-art-does-is-it-points-to-who-we-as-human-beings-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My style is in the 21st century. If you look at the process, it goes from photography through Photoshop, where certain features are heightened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-style-is-in-the-21st-century-if-you-look-at-the-process-it-goes/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think the world that I grew up in was like being in this sort of magical artistic garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-the-world-that-i-grew-up-in-was-like-being-in-this-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It was something that came sort of matter-of-factually. Because there - it's like really - real honest engagement with the people around me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/it-was-something-that-came-sort-of-matter-of-factually-because-there/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [We're wired to be empathetic and to care about the needs of others, but also to be curious about others. And I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/we-re-wired-to-be-empathetic-and-to-care-about-the-needs-of-others/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Painting is situational. And my particular situation exists within gender, race, class, sexuality, nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/painting-is-situational-and-my-particular-situation-exists-within/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think, something that you might be able to locate in the work that I'm creating today: the ability to look at a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-something-that-you-might-be-able-to-locate-in-the-work-that-i/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I remember the first time I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and saw a Kerry James Marshall painting with black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-remember-the-first-time-i-went-to-the-los-angeles-county-museum-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I believe that artists should be part of the culture. I think that my work clearly bears that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-believe-that-artists-should-be-part-of-the-culture-i-think-that-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-guess-art-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Just physically, if you looked at the house that I grew up in, my mother created this greenhouse. And surrounded the entire property. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/just-physically-if-you-looked-at-the-house-that-i-grew-up-in-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Explore all 275 Kehinde Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ability to be the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States is absolutely overwhelming. 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