Asante Adu Darko

This is Asante Adu Darko, pictured at right with sisters Anne M Bracker & Cindy Bracker. In the background are beautiful pots he made at KU while studying with professor Bill Bracker. Asante also lived in the Bracker home during the years of his graduate studies, hence the familial relationship which formed between him and the Bracker Girls. He eventually returned to Ghana where he still lives with wife, Grace, and many children, the oldest of whom is named William Bracker Adu Darko. Asante became a ceramics teacher in Africa and positively influenced the lives of thousands of young people in Ghana and also Nigeria.

Asante is a beautiful, gentle man, quick to smile and laugh. He is full of life and love. He matters. All black lives matter. I (Cindy) want to say that I don’t honestly know what i am supposed to post on social media. Earlier today I jumped on the black square movement on behalf of Brackers, thinking i was showing support and solidarity. Then I learned how wrong that was. And I didn’t know what was the right thing to do. I am trying to educate myself and do what is good and right. I thought sharing a bit about my blessed brother would be good. One of many. Every one has a story, has people who care about them, who love them. No one should have to walk in fear for their life. Black lives matter. Not using the hashtag so i don’t clog up an important feed, but I stand with my brother and with all black people “…with liberty and JUSTICE for ALL”. 

Asante, and his part in our family, was the inspiriation for our diversity in clay series.  Above is the post that appeared on Bracker’s instagram on June 2, 2020, kicking off nearly 6 months of daily posts featuring the work of artist of color.  We are now simultaneously working to post new artists on our feed weekly and also to add and update all of our past posts here to our website to be utilized as a resource.