Reginald A. Gammon, Jr. (1921-2005) was born in Philadelphia to Reginald and Martha Brown Gammon. Gammon was an exceptional teacher, painter and printmaker. An intellectual artist, his work depicted the civil rights struggles of the 1960's, the dignity of unsung heroes, jazz and blues musicians and observations of everyday life.
After graduating from high school in 1941, Gammon received a scholarship to study art at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art. The following summer, Gammon worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard refurbishing battleships for the war effort, but that job caused him to lose his scholarship. For the next 18 months, he worked at the shipyards during the day and went to art school at night. With the arrival of his draft notice, Gammon joined the Navy and served from 1944-46 with an all black unit stationed in Guam. After the war, he returned to Philadelphia. In 1948, he left Philadelphia and moved to New York. It was at this time that he met Janice Goldberger (Jonni), whom he later married in 1972.
In 1963, Gammon was invited to join Spiral, a group of African American artists that included Romare Bearden, Richard Mayhew, Hale Woodruff and Alvin Hollingsworth. In 1965, Spiral held its only group exhibition at the Christopher Street Gallery in New York City. Called "Black and White" this show was a pointed statement about the civil rights movement. The exhibit pieces, all in various shades of black and white, included Gammon's "Freedom Now" and "Bearden's Mysteries".
About this time, Gammon landed a teaching job as an "art expert" with the New York public schools. Teaching in the Saturday Academy Program, Gammon set up an informal studio so that children from Harlem could work with resident artists. This opportunity opened other doors when his friend Hughie Lee-Smith recommended him for a visiting lectureship at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Beginning January 1, 1970, this four-month position ended 21 years later with his retirement in 1991 as Full Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts and Humanities.
Moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1992, Gammon quickly became immersed in the local art community. Gammon joined the New Mexico Afro-American Artist Guild and the Albuquerque United Artists. He participated in Afro-American Guild exhibits and was their treasurer from 1999 until his death.
