Chicago Maritime Museum showcases paintings by Black artist James Bolivar Needham

CHICAGO — Earlier this year, we told you about five unattributed paintings acquired by the Chicago Maritime Museum. The curator was almost certain the work belonged to 19th Century Black artist James Bolivar Needham.

He was an artist with no formal training who settled Chicago and became part of a team that painted and decorated buildings for the 1893 World’s Fair.

Needham died in 1931 from smoke inhalation after trying to rescue his paintings from a studio fire.

Although he never signed his paintings, he left a mark.

WGN photojournalist Audrey Haynes followed along as the curator uncovered if her suspicions about the mysterious works were correct.

The paintings will be on display at the Chicago Maritime Museum through December.

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