Doran H. Ross

Doran H. Ross (October 17, 1947 – September 16, 2020) was an African art scholar, author, and museum director and curator. Ross was a renowned Ghanaian arts scholar who spent 20 years at the Fowler Museum at UCLA managing or curating nearly 40 African and African-American exhibitions shown at 30 venues across the country. His specialties included Ghanaian art, including Asafo flags, gold, elephant art forms, Asante regalia, and the works of Ghanaian painter Kwame Akoto (Almighty God).

Early life Ross was first introduced to African art as a student working on a double major in art history and psychology at California State University, Fresno. He received his M.A. in art history at University of California, Santa Barbara and went on to teach at various California institutions until beginning his career at the Fowler Museum in 1981 as associate director and Curator of Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceanic arts. He later became deputy director and Curator of African Collections, before becoming the first non-faculty full-time Director in 1996, a position he held until he retired in 2001. Received ACASA Leadership Award in 2011, in recognition of his lifetime of excellence, innovative contributions and vision.

Publications Ross, Doran H. (1979). Fighting With Art: Appliqued Flags of the Fanto Asafo. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Museum of Cultural History. Ross, Doran H. (1992). Elephant : The Animal and its Ivory in African Culture. University of California, Los Angeles. Fowler Museum of Cultural History. Los Angeles, Calif., USA: Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, Los Angeles. . OCLC 27035844. Ross, Doran H. (1998). Wrapped in Pride : Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity. Adedze, Agbenyega, Newark Museum, University of California, Los Angeles. Fowler Museum of Cultural History. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History. . OCLC 39905097. Cole, Herbert M., Ross, Doran H. The Arts of Ghana. Museum of Cultural History/University of California. Los Angeles, CA, USA: University of California, Los Angeles, 1977.

(cont.) Ross, Doran H. 5000 years of popular culture : popular culture before printing. Schroeder, Fred E. H., 1932-. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University Popular Press. 1980. . OCLC 7172931. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. (2002). Gold of the Akan from the Glassell collection. Ross, Doran H., Marzio, Frances. Houston, Tex.: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. . OCLC 50561876. Cameron, Elisabeth Lynn, Ross, Doran H., Isn't s/he a Doll? : Play and Ritual in African Sculpture. Los Angeles, California, USA. . OCLC 35397907. Eicher, Joanne Bubolz, Ross, Doran H. (eds.). Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion. Oxford University Press. 2010. . OCLC 428033198. The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana. Walker, Roslyn A., Ehrlich, Martha J., Geary, Christraud M., McLeod, Malcolm D., Ross, Doran H., Dallas Museum of Art, New Haven, 2018. . OCLC 1032497725.