U.S. Census Bureau Black History Month Feature for Feb. 21

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily Black History Month feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21: SAM GILLIAM

Profile America for the 21st day of Black History Month.  Sam Gilliam is widely recognized as one of the foremost contemporary African-American artists, whose work reflects the school of art known as color field painting.  Inspired by laundry hanging outside his studio, he was the first artist to champion displaying paintings as draped objects, rather than attached to a frame.  One of Gilliam's works hangs in the Census Bureau building in Suitland, Maryland –– one of the most dramatic new federal office buildings in the country.  In the U.S., there are 227,000 artists along with those who work in the art community, just over 2.5 percent of them African-American.  This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, conducting the 2010 Census beginning April 1st.  

Sources: www.rogallery.com

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 596

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau