New exhibit showcases late resident of Hastings

New exhibit showcases late resident of Hastings
Alvin Hollingsworth’s painting “Satin Doll” from 1994.

By Rita Walton

A new exhibit at the Hudson River Museum, “Alvin C. Hollingsworth: And All That Jazz,” showcases the artwork of a groundbreaking comic book artist in the 1940s and ’50s who went on to a long and varied career in fine art and education. Born in Harlem in 1928, Hollingsworth moved to Hastings in 1972 and lived there with his family until his death in 2000.

Hollingsworth began working on comic books when he was 12 years old and became a successful comic book artist, especially in the genres of crime and horror. In 1946, he created the superhero Bronze Man, a Black man and World War II veteran who wore a mask; comic book scholars believe this was the first Black superhero.

Moving from comic book work, Hollingsworth graduated from City College as a fine arts major and earned his master’s degree there as well. For 30 years, he was a professor of art at Hostos Community College, part of the City University of New York. Hollingsworth also taught at the Art Students League in Manhattan, and hosted the 1970s TV show “You’re Part of Art” on NBC.

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