If you’ve seen the movie Black Panther, or its sequel Wakanda Forever, then you are familiar with its exquisite costuming. But did you know those designs are based on actual historical research? These elegant, historically symbolic creations are courtesy of RUTH E. CARTER.
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Carter learned to read and design patterns at a local Boys and Girls Club. Using her mother’s sewing machine, she began creating her own pieces by age nine, a hobby that morphed into a lifelong passion.
Carter earned a B.A. in Theater Arts from Hampton University in Virginia. As a student, Carter worked as an historical interpreter in Colonial Williamsburg, acting as Betty Wallace, a free woman who sewed dresses to buy her husband’s freedom. This sparked her interest into researching African clothing, which she later incorporated into her costuming. This attention to detail led to the creations of the Black Panther franchise. Her designs opened conversations about the African diaspora and highlighted that “African” means multitudes of societies and traditions rather than one monolithic interpretation.
While working in L.A., Carter met director Spike Lee, a longtime collaborator. She has designed costumes for Steven Spielberg, Ryan Coogler, and Ava DuVernay. Projects such as Amistad, Malcolm X, and Selma have allowed her to showcase her insightful vision of costuming design with historical relevance.
Today, with over 30 years’ experience in television and film, and 60 credits to her name, Ruth E. Carter is an award-winning designer. She’s won two Academy Awards, the first Black woman to do so, and the first Black person to win Best Costume and Design. In 2021, she earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, only the second costume designer to achieve this.
In honor of her talent, I encourage you to visit an exhibition of her work, now on display at Jamestown Settlement.
For further information:
- Ruth E. Carter website
- NPR: An Oscar-winning costume designer explains how clothes ‘create a mood’
- JYFMuseums: Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design Exhibition
Photo credit: JYFMuseums.org exhibit:
https://www.jyfmuseums.org/events/special-exhibits/ruth-e-carter-afrofuturism-in-costume-design