L-R: Jeff Bezos (Getty Images)/Mark Zuckerberg (JD Lasica from Pleasanton, CA, US, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Billionaires Lose $208B In Wealth Following Trump’s Tariff Announcement
Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos were among the top American billionaires hit hardest.
The combined wealth of the world’s 500 richest people dropped by $208 billion following President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs targeting dozens of countries.
Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos were among the top American billionaires hit hardest on April 3, with their fortunes falling by an average of 3.3%, Bloomberg reports. The drop marks the fourth-largest single-day decline in the 13-year history of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index—and the most significant since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zuckerberg took the biggest hit, losing $17.9 billion—or roughly 9% of his net worth—after a 9% drop in Meta’s stock. Bezos wasn’t far behind, shedding $15.9 billion as Amazon shares tumbled 9%, marking its steepest decline since April 2022.
Elon Musk, who has already seen his net worth shrink by $110 billion this year, lost another $11 billion on April 4 as Tesla’s stock continued to slide, driven by weak delivery numbers and mounting controversy over his role leading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Markets were sent into disarray after Trump announced sweeping global tariffs, heightening fears of a potential trade war and looming recession. The S&P 500 tumbled 4.84% to close at 5,396.52, pushing it back into correction territory and marking its worst single-day drop since June 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1,679.39 points, or 3.98%, to finish at 40,545.93—also its steepest decline since June 2020.
Meanwhile, the NASDAQ Composite plunged 5.97% to 16,550.61, suffering its biggest one-day loss since March 2020. The sell-off was widespread, with over 400 S&P 500 companies ending the day in the red.
Some turned a profit, including Mexico’s richest man, Carlos Slim, one of the few billionaires outside the U.S., to avoid the fallout from the tariffs. His fortune rose by roughly 4% to $85.5 billion after Mexico was left off the White House’s list of reciprocal tariff targets. The Middle East was the only region where individuals on Bloomberg’s wealth index managed to post net gains for the day.
Grammy Award-winning producer DJ Kid Capri, platinum-selling rapper Snoop Dogg, and legendary multi-platinum selling producer and artist Dr. Dre (Photo Credit: Lester Cohen/Getty Images for ASCAP)
Kid Capri Claims Martin Lawrence Used His Voice On ‘Martin’ Without Permission Or Pay
'They took my voice from Def Comedy Jam, sampled it, put it on the Martin show. Never got no permission from me, never asked for my rights-- nothing.'
Kid Capri has an issue with Martin Lawrence for allegedly using his voice on Lawrence’s iconic ’90s sitcom, “Martin,” while not compensating the legendary DJ.
While appearing on a recent episode of the podcast Bag Fuel, featuring Esso World and Hynaken, the former “Def Comedy Jam” deejay expressed his disappointment at Lawrence for not only using his voice without permission but also denying that it is Capri’s actual voice.
Capri stated that a sample of his voice was used for the sitcom’s intro. At the start of every “Def Comedy Jam” episode, Capri’s voice became synonymous with the show for the way he yelled out Lawrence’s first name. The popularity of the voice seemingly was used, as most people who regularly watched the show knew where it stemmed from.
“They took my voice from ‘Def Comedy Jam,’ sampled it, put it on the ‘Martin’ show,” he told the co-hosts. “Never got no permission from me, never asked for my rights–nothing. This show been on eight different networks for 30 years. Now, if it was a money thing for me, I would been like, ‘Yo, where’s my bread?’ I ain’t never did that.”
However, Capri claims it wasn’t about making money from the show, but he became incensed when he discovered that Tisha Campbell, who played Lawrence’s love interest on the sitcom, stated on a television show that the voice wasn’t the Bronx deejay’s. Even Lawrence made the same claim in public.
“First of all, that was the dumbest s-t to say. Everybody know it’s me,” Capri said. “Number two, I got videos of this. Number three, all you had to say was, ‘Yo Kid, we used your s-t, is it, aight? Here’s a bag.’ Or not.”
Check out the video clip below:
As an up-and-coming comedian, Lawrence was the featured host of Russell Simmons‘ “Def Comedy Jam” series, which premiered in 1992. Kid Capri, already a highly sought-after entertainer, was the featured deejay on the fledgling comedy show, which showcased many comics who later became household names in future years, including Bill Bellamy, Bernie Mac, Chris Tucker, Michael Blackson, and Joe Torry, to name a few.
The global superstar is on a winning streak. After releasing her first country album in 2024, the Spaghetti singer made personal and professional history. For the eclectic project, she earned her first Album of the Year Grammy and her first Country Grammy.
Following the album’s success, Beyoncé launched several ventures. Her whiskey brand, Sir Davis, gained praise and won multiple blind taste tests. She also debuted a haircare line, Cécred, featuring a full range of products.
Her devoted fanbase is following her lead. The announcement of the nine-city Cowboy Carter Chitlin’ Circuit tour has inspired Beyoncé’s fans to channel their creativity. As is the tradition, fans are crafting show-stopping looks based on the album’s country-western aesthetic. Many are turning that energy into businesses, designing apparel and accessories for fellow BeyHive members looking to embrace the Cowgirl and Cowboy vibe. For inspiration, get into some Black-owned cowboy core sellers.
Cowboy Carter Customized Sashes
Queen B first wore the now-iconic sash on the cover of her chart-topping Cowboy Carter album, so it’s only fitting that fans follow suit. While not every member of the BeyHive is a DIY enthusiast, many are more than willing to pay to complete the look.
Entrepreneurs on TikTok, including @ninalemsparty and @septchouettes, are stepping in to meet the demand. Both creators are offering custom sashes in a variety of textures and colors—all for $40 or less.
As the Blackbird singer’s Chitlin’ Circuit tour winds through its traditional Southern route, many fans already have easy access to cowboy headdresses and Western wear. However, with Beyoncé bypassing several major markets, plenty of Northerners or “Yankees” fans are expected to fly in for the shows.
For those needing headwear, TikTok creators @fmp and @kinapparel_ have it covered.
Western apparel is a foundational theme of the Cowboy Carter tour, and fans are leaning into the look from head to toe, including boots. As excitement builds, several online retailers and content creators are spotlighting Black-owned cowboy boot companies and Western-style shops.
For those looking to put “boots on the ground” at their local stadium, TikTok creator @diedralatrice1 is sharing shopping tips and brand suggestions. Other creators like @mars.0rbit and @chunkyarmadillo1 are promoting Black-owned Western wear labels, ensuring fans can rep the look while supporting the culture.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour is set to captivate audiences with its Western-inspired themes.Entrepreneurs are ready to help fans bring their Cowboy Carter vision boards to life. Refer to the official vendors for a complete list of tour dates and locations.
Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation Sets The Standard For Philanthropy
The singer's foundation donated more than $33 million in COVID relief in 2020
Rihanna is known worldwide for her chart-topping music and Fenty business empire, valued at an estimated $1.4 billion. However, the world may soon be buzzing about her philanthropic efforts. Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) is set to raise its profile.
The organization, named after the star’s grandparents, plans to allocate additional funds for climate solutions and women’s entrepreneurship in East Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. South.
With a newly revamped team of Black and Brown women, the organization has expanded its reach to support a broader range of causes. Dr. Rosanna Saladin-Subero leads the Women’s Entrepreneurship team, while Amina Doherty heads Programs and Impact. The other components of its five new pillars include Climate Solutions, Arts and Culture, Health Access and Equity, and Future Generations.
The Clara Lionel Foundation’s Executive Director, Jessie Schutt-Aine, discussed the foundation’s future, which she describes as an extension of Rihanna’s personality.
“Our founder is a woman from a small island nation who’s got global reach. She’s an entrepreneur. She’s a mom. She’s a creative,” Schutt-Aine told the Associated Press. “So, we want an organization that reflects that spirit and that energy.”
Rihanna established the organization in 2012 following her grandmother’s passing due to cancer. The singer donated modern radiotherapy equipment to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados, the facility that cared for her grandmother.
The CLF recently partnered with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, announcing they will fund “artist-led initiatives.” One of the grantees is Operation Triple Threat, a developmental performance arts program providing free social services to students. The funding allowed Operation Triple Threat to acquire a warehouse outfitted with sound equipment and a dance floor.
Rihanna told the Associated Press that she hopes CLF will continue to be a worldwide leader in philanthropy.
“Today, we have global reach, but that notion of love for community and for our roots runs deep in the DNA of the foundation,” the mogul said.
Kamala Harris Emerges With A Message To Black Women: ‘What Has Not Changed Is Our Sisterhood’
Kamala Harris sends a message to Black women about sisterhood amid uncertain times
Kamala Harris stepped out in support of Black women and spoke to “sisterhood” in what seemed like a glimpse into her political future after losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump.
The former vice president made a surprise appearance at the Leading Women Defined Summit on April 3 in California, where she delivered an impassioned eight-minute speech that urged Black women to utilize their collective power. While Harris emphasized the importance of courage in the current political climate, she continued to reaffirm her central focus on empowering Black women.
“This is a moment in time where we all need to be in rooms like this. No one can take our identity or existence from us — because we won’t let them,” Harris said, according to BET.
“What has not changed is our sisterhood. What has not changed is our understanding of the great shoulders upon which we stand — and the great shoulders we possess.”
Harris also spoke about the state of the country, expressing concern over the rollback of policies she helped put in place and warning against a growing culture of fear under the current administration.
“We are seeing people stay quiet. We are seeing organizations stay quiet. We are seeing capitulation to clearly unconstitutional threats,” she told the crowd. “Fear is contagious… but courage is contagious too.”
The former California senator, who is rumored to be eyeing a 2026 run for governor, playfully called out those who dismissed her 2024 campaign trail warnings — many of which have since come to pass.
“There were many things that we knew would happen, many things,” Harris said. “I’m not here to say, ‘I told you so’……..I swore I wasn’t going to say that.”
“There’s great power in this room. And yes, the world is watching. But more importantly, there are people counting on us — to be kind, to be fierce, and to be together,” she said.
ENGLEWOOD, NJ - June 07, 2013 : Civil rights political artist Faith Ringgold, 82, in her studio at her home in Englewood, NJ on June 07, 2013. Faith Ringgold was one of the leaders of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960's, gaining worldwide prominence for her quilts. "American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold's Paintings of the 1960's" is a retrospective of race, reconciliation, activism and feminism, from one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. (Photo by Melanie Burford/Prime for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Get A Load Of These Black Women Artists–And Their Artwork
19 Black women visual artists to recognize for International Black Women's History Month
As we enter International Black Women’s History Month, Black art has always been a means of documenting and creating history, putting out powerful stories that depict Black women’s experiences, struggles, and triumphs. BLACK ENTERPRISE has chosen 19 Black women visual artists to honor and recognize their transformative work and re-echo the need for their artistic voices in the broader cultural landscape.
Betye Saar
Betye Saar (b. 1926) is an African American artist who works in assemblage. Saar’s work is dedicated to undoing racial stereotypes and creating new representations of Black identity, spirituality, and feminism. The artist was born in Los Angeles and has worked since the 1960s, making powerful, mixed-media works like “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima (1972),” which takes back racist imagery. Saar uses found objects to relate forgotten stories and to deal with social themes. A key member of the Black Arts Movement and a presence in contemporary art, her artwork has been exhibited in institutions like MoMA.
Faith Ringgold is an African American artist, author, and activist who worked on narrative quilts, paintings, and children’s books about race, gender, and social justice. A Harlem-born artist, Ringgold started making art in the 1960s and was actively involved in the civil rights and feminist movements. Her story quilts, including “Tar Beach (1988),” show how fabric can be used in storytelling. Ringgold’s books celebrate Black culture. Ringgold’s work has been exhibited in major institutions like the Guggenheim and Smithsonian.
Born in Philadelphia and based in Paris for most of her life, African American artist, sculptor, and writer Barbara Chase-Riboud sold her first piece, “Reba,” to the MoMA in 1955. Chase-Riboud is best known for her bronze and fiber sculptures, especially her Malcolm X series. From history, identity, and power, her work strikes a chord. As a celebrated author, Chase-Riboud is best known for “Sally Hemings (1977),” a fictionalized account of the life of the enslaved girl who bore children for Thomas Jefferson.
Howardena Pindell is an African American artist who works in mixed media, and her pieces are always political in some way, dealing with race, feminism, and social justice. Employing means as diverse as hole-punched paper, glitter, and fabric, Pindell makes abstract paintings that raise particular political points. Her 1980 video, “Free, White and 21,” targets racism and sexism. A Philadelphia native, she attended Boston University and Yale and eventually served as a curator at MoMA in New York. Her work has been shown internationally, contributing new perspectives to the field and giving a voice to the marginalized.
A central figure of the Harlem Renaissance was Augusta Savage (1892-1962), an African American sculptor. “The Harp” was inspired by “Lift Every Voice and Sing” but was later destroyed after its exhibition. Savage trained artists like Jacob Lawrence at the Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts she set up in Harlem, making the artist the first person to open a gallery for African American art. Savage was born in Florida but worked primarily in New York, using her stature to fight racism and champion Black artists. Her legacy lives on in her art.
Kara Walker uses black cut-paper silhouettes and installations to explore race, gender, and power. She was born in Stockton, California, and started to get recognition in the 1990s. Her work includes pieces like “A Subtlety,” a sphinx sculpture made of sugar that addresses slavery and oppression in America. Walker’s art, which has been shown in big institutions like MoMA and the Tate Modern, tells uncomfortable truths about the brutality and contradictions of race and power in the U.S.
Lorna Simpson (born 1960) is a Brooklyn-based artist who works in photography, video, and other forms of installation to address issues of race, gender, and identity. Coming up in the 1980s, she combined photographs of black women with text to challenge stereotypes. Her work, which has been shown at MoMA, the Whitney, and Tate Modern, has moved into painting and film. Simpson uses mixed media and fractured narratives to discuss identity and representation.
Simone Leigh’s art consists mainly of sculptures and installations. Her works always concern Black women, their history, and their experience and strength. She is from Chicago and based in New York. Leigh uses ceramics and bronze and has already been recognized internationally. She represented the USA at the 2022 Venice Biennale and won the Golden Lion. Leigh’s practice consists of reclaiming traditional craft practices.
Mickalene Thomas was born in New Jersey and is a contemporary artist who paints, collages, and photographs of Black women, beauty, and identity in vibrant rhinestone-adorned works. Thomas is based in Brooklyn and has been active since the early 2000s, with work exhibited at MoMA, the Whitney, and the Smithsonian, among others. Thomas reimagines Black femininity through the lens of 1970s aesthetics, classical painting, and personal history, challenging beauty standards and societal narratives. Thomas created the first individual portrait of first lady Michelle Obama in 2008. Her art reflects power, sexuality, and representation in the representation of Black women in art and culture.
LaToya Ruby Frazier is a photographer and visual artist who focuses on racial and economic inequality. In her photography, video, and performance, she documents environmental racism and healthcare disparities in working-class Black communities. Her well-known work, “The Notion of Family,” shows the challenges of her hometown and her own family. Frazier’s artwork has graced the spaces of institutions like MoMA and the Whitney Museum.
Nina Chanel Abney’s paintings are bold and graphic. The artist paints themes on race, politics, gender, and pop culture. She makes large-scale, bright-colored paintings with collage, flattened figuration, and abstraction. When consuming Abney’s work, viewers are forced to engage with issues of racial injustice and media influence. She has shown at the Whitney Museum and the Brooklyn Museum.
Tschabalala Self is a Harlem-born artist. Her work is marked by the vibrant, mixed-media pieces she paints and the Black femininity she celebrates and disrupts. A relatively new artist from the 2010s, Self has exhibited in major institutions like the Studio Museum in Harlem. Self paints Black womanhood as multifaceted and complex.
Julie Mehretu is an Ethiopian-American painter. She was born in Addis Ababa and raised in the U.S. Her large-scale abstract paintings are layered with architectural elements, maps, and expressive marks. Her work addresses themes of history and power, and she uses dynamic compositions to think through questions of globalization and social movements.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby is a Nigerian-born artist based in Los Angeles. She is known for her painting techniques that combine Nigerian and Western aesthetics. She creates intimate, domestic scenes filled with themes of identity, migration, and cultural blending. Crosby was brought up in Nigeria and has studied in the U.S. and has made her appearance in museums such as the Whitney Museum and Tate Modern. Her work is a testimony to the challenge of African stereotypes, the immigrant experience, globalization, memory, and cultural exchange.
Jordan Casteel is best known for her large-scale portraits of everyday Black life. Born in Denver and based in New York City, she paints street vendors, family members, and community members with rich color and expressive brushwork. Active since the early 2010s, her work has been exhibited at museums like the MoMA, the New Museum, and the Met. Casteel’s work is about Black identity and the connection between people.
Brittney Leeanne Williams is an artist from Pasadena, California, best known for painting women contorting. Williams is more than just a painter; she uses her art to tell stories about Black womanhood, trauma, love, and resilience by using the body as an emotional and physical landscape. Major galleries across the U.S. and internationally have displayed her work.
Deborah Roberts is a collagist. Her art features mixed-media collages concerned with race, identity, beauty, and Black youth. Roberts’ work interrogates beauty standards and the pressures on Black bodies, using Black children’s images combined with abstraction. From Austin, Texas, Roberts is recognized for her surreal collage practice, and her art is in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Jennifer Packer paints about love, loss, and vulnerability. She combines the traditional techniques of painting people’s portraits and using abstract forms and shapes while painting people’s close moments with their families and friends. She is famous for using color and texture to create emotional pieces. Packer’s art centers the Black body.
Jadé Fadojutimi is a British-Nigerian artist, who paints large-scale, colourful abstract art. Her work addresses identity, emotion, and the complexities of self. Her paintings are a blend of Western and African influences. Fadojutimi’s art touches on personal histories and global influence.
Washington Post Opinion Columnist Quits After Jeff Bezos Took Over The Section
A veteran opinion columnist quits The Washington Post in response to Jeff Bezos' overhaul of the section.
Pulitzer Prize-winning opinion columnist Eugene Robinson resigned from The Washington Post on April 4 in response to the paper’s billionaire owner announcing plans to shift the section’s focus to “free markets and personal liberties.”
Robinson expressed his continued support for the Post but cited Jeff Bezos’ overhaul of the opinion section as the catalyst for his decision, writing that it “spurred me to decide that it’s time for my next chapter.”
“I wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to leave The Post,” Robinson wrote to his colleagues in an email, as cited by The New York Times. “The announced ‘significant shift’ in our section’s mission has spurred me to decide that it’s time for my next chapter.”
A spokesperson for the Washington Post referred to Robinson’s departure as a “retirement” following his 40-plus years at the newspaper, which began in 1980 before he moved to the opinion section in 2005. His columns on the 2008 presidential campaign, which highlighted the election of the first African American president, earned him the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2009.
“For 45 years, his reporting and commentary spanned continents and beats, earning countless recognitions, including a Pulitzer Prize,“ the spokesperson said. ”Eugene’s strong perspective and impeccable integrity have regularly shaped our public discourse, cementing his legacy as a leading voice in American journalism.”
Robinson’s departure follows his appearance on MSNBC in February, where he criticized Bezos for signaling the paper’s shift to the right, stating that such a move would lead to his exit.
“For many of us, this is, to quote Elon Musk, a ‘fork-in-the-road moment’ because these kinds of structures—whatever they turn out to be—are not what we thought we had signed up for,“ Robinson said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “This is not the way we have worked to produce what is, I believe, objectively the best opinion section in American journalism.”
Robinson has since confirmed that he is retiring from The Post, but not from journalism, and has yet to decide about his next move.
LSU Hoops Star Flau’Jae Johnson To Return For Her Senior Year Instead Of Entering WNBA Draft
The question is, where?
ESPN reports that Louisiana State University junior Flau’Jae Johnson will return for her senior season instead of entering the WNBA Draft.
Johnson has until April 23 to enter the transfer portal. She will decide, depending on NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) offers, whether she will return to LSU or go to another school.
Johnson helped LSU win the NCAA Tournament in her freshman season. This year, the team was defeated by UCLA, 72-65, in the regional finals.
Johnson will turn 22 in November, which makes her eligible to enter the WNBA Draft this year, even though she hasn’t played four seasons of college ball. But she is star. Her numbers have improved every season. In 2024-25, she was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association after averaging a career-high 18.6 points for the Tigers.
Her stat line in 34 starts was 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steal a game. She also received All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) first-team honors. In 106 career games (104 of them as a starter), she has averaged 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Despite LSU’s stature as a big-time program, Johnson has made it clear that she wants to win a championships as a star. In the Tigers’ 2023 championship, Angel Reese, now a star in the WNBA and a burgeoning celebrity, was the headliner.
“Once I taste the national championship more and more,” Johnson said after LSU’s loss to UCLA. “I feel like that national championship I have, yeah, I was a big factor in it, but there were bigger factors. I want my own one, you know what I’m saying? Where I lead the team. That’s what you really want.”
Social Media Gives Side-Eye To Keke Palmer Over Interview With Jonathan Majors
'This is not serious, right?'
Keke Palmer is rumored to be interviewing controversial actor Jonathan Majors, a movie that has sparked backlash across social media from fans and critics alike.
Palmer has yet to confirm plans for the interview publicly, but a now-deleted listing for the conversation appeared on her This is Keke Palmer podcast page. The episode, titled “No Easy Answers: Accountability and Moving Forward with Jonathan Majors,” is reportedly scheduled to be released on April 8.
— they want you to be mother teresa (@cooIpeopIe) April 1, 2025
While Palmer may be ready to move on with Majors, many are not.
The Lovecraft Country actor admitted to domestic violence and, in 2024, pleaded guilty to the assault of his former partner, Grace Jabbari. Following his plea to a lesser charge, Majors began a public relationship with actress Meagan Good and was seen engaging in what some called publicity stunts. The two are now married.
Despite limited public tolerance, Majors is slowly regaining visibility in the industry through projects like Magazine Dreams. Still, many are criticizing Palmer for giving him a platform.
Some users pointed out Palmer’s own history with domestic abuse. The One of Them Days actress had a public dispute with the father of her child, leading some to question her decision to interview Majors.
mind you keke is a victim of domestic violence herself… this is disgusting and weird as fuck https://t.co/3osuEB0uqD
Others questioned the validity of the rumored interview, hoping it was just an elaborate April Fools’ Day prank.
I was hoping that Keke Palmer interview was a nasty April Fool’s joke, but nope she’s doing clownery. Majors admitted to strangling that lady, there’s nothing left to discuss to me. Keep it! pic.twitter.com/kFQ9y9RYcu
As backlash grew, clips resurfaced of Palmer once voicing support for convicted sexual predator R. Kelly. Critics cited this as evidence that she has a pattern of aligning with abusers.
Still, not everyone is ready to cancel the 31-year-old. Some came to her defense, urging people to reserve judgment until the interview is released.
so let me get this straight—we’re mad at Keke Palmer for scheduling a sit down with Jonathan Majors? the interview hasn’t even happened yet and we’re angry? some of you need to go touch grass. pic.twitter.com/L8HNo9dD1F
While the title of the episode suggests the actress was willing to embrace Major’s with partially open arms, the public will not know until the episode is released, if it is ever released. The listing for the April 8 podcast has been removed from the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast page.
Death Row Inmate Aims To Support Family By Selling His Journals, Art For $80K
Death Row inmate Albert Jones has documented the conditions of the prison system through his journals and cookbooks.
Albert Jones has been condemned to die. But in an effort “to be remembered” and to support his daughter and grandchildren, he’s selling his creative efforts.
Jones’s creations will be auctioned April 3–5 at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair.
A death row inmate, Jones spent more than 30 years in one of the nation’s most notorious prisons, San Quentin. He was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder of a California couple. Over time, Jones made a life inside the place he knew he’d never leave. He began writing and creating art, using his voice to document prison life.
The atrocities of incarceration during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired his first book, I Survived COVID-19, which reflected on illness sweeping the institution. He also recounted the deaths of cellblock neighbors, one of whom was a convicted serial killer. In an interview, Jones spoke about the pain of isolation and his need for purpose while living under a looming death sentence.
“I want to be remembered as, first of all, a human being that made mistakes,” Jones told the LA Times. “I didn’t understand what I was going to do with the rest of my life, knowing that the state wanted to kill me, as if I wasn’t nothing. I do have worth.”
Alongside his visual art, Jones is auctioning prison cookbooks that emphasize the communal side of prison life and handwritten diaries that expose the neglect and brutality experienced by incarcerated people.
“He was in a cell for 14 days as punishment for whatever, but you’re supposed to get 10 days in that cell,” Jones wrote in one diary entry. “On the fourteenth day, he killed himself. I don’t know if you can go to heaven if you killed yourself, but I pray that he made it and that his family is at rest. God bless.”
Jones is not the only incarcerated person whose art has made an impact. Across the country, prison walls have borne witness to extraordinary creativity. Some artists have gone on to show their work in major institutions like the Smithsonian and helped create programs aimed at rehabilitation, deterrence, and individual expression.
Former and Current Incarcerated Artists
Tameca Cole
A visual artist and writer from Birmingham, Alabama, Cole began creating during her incarceration in the Alabama Department of Corrections. Her mixed-media collages, many of which explore themes of systemic oppression, mass incarceration, and Black identity, have been exhibited nationally. Cole’s work was featured in MoMA and PS1’s landmark exhibition, Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration.
Welmon Sharlhorne
A self-taught artist from Louisiana, Welmon Sharlhorne began drawing during his time in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. Using only ballpoint pens and manila envelopes, Sharlhorne created intricate architectural drawings and surreal machines. Now free, Sharlhorne is known for his signature style that blends structure, repetition, and imagination. Sharlhorne’s art has been exhibited at institutions such as the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans.
Mumia Abu-Jamal
The journalist, former Black Panther, and political activist has been incarcerated in Pennsylvania since 1981 for the murder of a police officer. Abu-Jamal maintains his innocence. From death row, Abu-Jamal became a prolific writer and commentator on issues of race, justice, and state violence. His best-known work, Live from Death Row, chronicles his experiences. The work critiques the American criminal justice system. Abu-Jamal’s essays and recorded broadcasts have had a wide influence in political and academic circles. He continues to advocate for prison reform and abolition.
Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter
Also known as Isis Tha Saviour, Baxter is a multidisciplinary artist, activist, and educator. Baxter draws from her personal experience in the Pennsylvania prison system. Her chosen mediums are visual art, music, and film. Her work often addresses reproductive justice and the criminalization of Black women. Her short film, Ain’t I A Woman, examines the incarceration of pregnant women and was featured at the Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals.
Ndume Olatushani
Olatushani is an artist and activist who spent 28 years in prison—20 on death row—for a murder he did not commit. Born in St. Louis, he was wrongfully convicted in 1985 for a Memphis killing. During his incarceration, Olatushani taught himself to paint, using art to cope and resist. His conviction was overturned in 2012 after evidence of prosecutorial misconduct surfaced. Since then, he has used his story and art to advocate for criminal justice reform and the abolition of the death penalty.
