U.S. Grant Tayes

Ulysses S. Grant Tayes was a Black painter active in Missouri in the 1930s. Tayes was born in Warrensburg, Missouri, in 1885. He was self-trained and received no formal art education. He moved to Jefferson City in the 1920s and opened a barbershop in “the Foot,” a vibrant African-American neighborhood that became the frequent subject of his paintings, such as his works Barber Shop and Bar Scene. He informally named his shop “Tayes Art Museum” and would often display his works there. Tayes was also a musician and appeared on St. Louis radio shows in the 1930s.

In 1929, Tayes began exhibiting his work in the Exhibition of Works of Negro Artists sponsored by the Urban League of St. Louis, which he participated in for five years, and won first place in 1932. He also participated in an exhibition of the St. Louis Society of Independent Artists at the Old Courthouse in 1932. Although he was self-trained, it was in this context that he became associated with Frederick C. Alston, an important Black St. Louis art educator. During this time, he was also mentored by Edmund Wuerpel, a member of the faculty at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts.

In addition to his art, Tayes maintained a strong voice through teaching and writing. He received a bachelor's of science in education from Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri) in 1936, and in 1959, received the fifty-year award from Lincoln University for his contributions to education. Tayes also wrote a column, “Oh, Tempore!” for the St. Louis Argus, an important Black newspaper, in the 1930s. Later in his life, he became a vocal advocate for integration. In 1942 and 1943, he returned to St. Louis for an exhibition with the Urban League at the St. Louis Art Museum, and exhibited at Atlanta University in 1944. Tayes died on June 15, 1972, in Jefferson City, Missouri.