Green Bush, New York (c 1844 -September 17, 1907) age ~63 yrs

Mary Edmonia Lewis, ‘Wildfire’, first professional African American sculptor who worked for most of her career in Rome, Italy. Born free, her father was a free African-American and her mother a Chippewa Indian. Orphaned before she was five, Lewis  lived with her mother’s nomadic tribe until she was twelve years old. She specialized in portrait busts of abolitionists and patrons. Notable figures include Anna Quincy Waterston. She also created subjects depicting her dual African and Native American ancestry. Her most popular work, Forever Free, shows an African American Man and Woman. They are removing their shackles at the moment of their freedom.  The 45th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Edmonia Lewis.