Rezalia Thrash Paintings

Rezalia C Thrash was the first African-American woman to exhibit her artwork in a juried Texas Art Show. Thrash, a teacher, painter, and club woman. She was born in Waco and educated in Texarkana. She held a Bachelor's degree from Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College and Wilberforce University and a Master's degree in art education from Greeley State Teacher's College in Colorado. Her husband, N. N. Thrash was the long-time bell captain at Dallas's Southland Hotel. Thrash taught in the Dallas school district at several elementary schools and Lincoln High School from 1922–67. She received a distinguished service award in art education from the Dallas Independent School District Over her lifetime. Thrash’s affiliations included a number of professional organizations and women's clubs, including the Priscilla Art Club and the Credenza Art Club. Thrash was an art teacher at B.F. Darrell Elementary School in 1935 when her watercolor, Parrots, was among the 162 works chosen from 383 entries for inclusion in the Seventh Annual Dallas Allied Arts Exhibition. It was the first work by a black artist to be shown in an integrated show. Although an important advance, its effect on the black community was limited by the fact that the show was only open to them for two hours during its four-week run, from 8:00-10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17. Thrash also showed paintings in the 1948 and 1950 exhibitions.