Every year since 1995, ESSENCE’s Festival of Culture has called upon Black artists across generations to capture its energy, spirit and significance—turning each poster into a piece of living history.
This story was originally published in ESSENCE’s special 55th anniversary July/August 2025 issue, on stands now.
When ESSENCE magazine’s inaugural issue was released in May of 1970, it stood alone in affirming the boldness, beauty and brilliance of Black women. Since then, it has remained steadfast in that purpose, leaving an imprint on institutions far outside the magazine itself. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the company launched what was then called the ESSENCE Music Festival. There, attendees from all over experienced the music, community and rich culinary scene of New Orleans—while also being immersed in the traditions of the diaspora. Susan L. Taylor, then ESSENCE’s Editor-in-Chief, championed visual artists in the event’s promotion. Thirty years ago, Black creatives began producing original works that blended their unique perspectives with the brand’s mission. Today, Taylor’s artistic vision has contributed to both the festival’s reach and the publication’s legacy.
For the first ESSENCE Festival in 1995, Willie Torbert was tapped to create the official artwork. His “Music Indulgence” presented a collection of Black musicians playing everything from brass to percussion. It was an aesthetic depiction of the fresh energy that pulsed through the fest’s earliest days. Created with a mixture of acrylic paint, pastels and markers, the piece signaled a milestone in Torbert’s career. Though he had long been renowned for his portrayals of Black expression, this commission carried new weight—especially since Torbert had never set foot in the Big Easy before that historic weekend.
“My mother and father were both from Alabama, and my uncle is from Mississippi—so even though I had never been to New Orleans, my Southern roots are deep,” Torbert says. “I knew that New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, and I was familiar with its food and culture and everything, so I wanted to put something together that really represented that.”…