Synthia Saint James

Synthia Saint James (born February 11, 1949) is an American visual artist, author, keynote speaker, educator and actor. She is best known for designing the original cover art of the hardcover edition of Terry McMillan's book Waiting to Exhale. Additionally, Saint James designed the first Kwanzaa stamp for the United States Postal Service, first issued in 1997 and the Kwanzaa Forever Stamp, issued in 2016.

Biography Synthia Saint James was raised in Los Angeles, California and the Bronx, New York. She is a self- taught artist whose work includes fine art canvases, public murals, and book illustrations. She sold her first painting in New York City at the age of 20. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

Career In 1976, Saint James appeared in the film Emma Mae (also known as Black Sister's Revenge) as Ulika Stansell, cousin to the title-character Emma Mae. In 1977, Saint James appeared as the spokesperson and counter girl in a national McDonald's TV commercial.

Saint James had her first solo art exhibition at the Inner City Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California in 1977, where she studied performing arts. In 1980, she participated in her first international exhibition in Paris, France.

She received an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters) from Saint Augustine's University, Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 8, 2010.