GEORGIA JESSUP

GEORGIA MILLS JESSUP (Age 90)  
Former Art Supervisor, D.C. Public Schools, Chief of Certification for D.C. Public Schools (1970), and Founder and Director of the "The World is Your Museum" a D.C. Public Schools museum project forerunner to the Capitol Children's Museum, died December 24, 2016 at her home in Columbia, MD. Born March 19, 1926 in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Joseph Henry Mills and Margaret Hall Mills, and graduated from Dunbar High School in 1943. She was the 13th of her father's 18 children and a member of the Pamunkey Tribe. B.F.A. from Howard University (where she studied with James L. Wells, Lois Jones Pierre Noel, James Porter, and Lila Asher), M.F.A. from Catholic University (where she studied Ceramics under Alexander Giampietro), with additional art studies at American University and D.C. Teachers College. Taught art in Washington, D.C. at; Eliot Jr. High School, Eastern and Western Senior High Schools, Sidwell-Friends School, Potter's House Workshop, and the D.C. Teacher's College.  Georgia's artwork was exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair, juried shows (Irene Leach Biennial at Norfolk VA's Museum of Arts and Science), galleries (Channel, Ontario, Leo Castelli), universities, and museums (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History). Her painting of 14th & H St., NW in Washington, DC "Rainy Night, Downtown" is in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and appeared on the April 3, 1991 cover of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), other paintings are in private collections. On June 11, 2016, Georgia was honored by the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame honorees for her "outstanding contributions and leadership in the Arts". She was also artist-in-residence at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Neighborhood Museum and a participating resident artist on a six week Whitney Museum grant (1967) at the Smithsonian's Belmont Conference Center. Awards were received from the Research Club of Washington, D.C., the Urban league, and D.C. Chapter of the American Red Cross for seven years of community work.  Georgia is survived by two daughters, Marsha Jessup and Rose Auld Powhatan and two sons, Juaquin Jessup and Miklos Jessup. She also has five grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.  A gathering of friends, family, and those who cared for her will be held at a later date. The family requests that donations be made in her name to the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in lieu of flowers.