Alfred Bright, was a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Youngstown State University where he taught for more than 40 years, and an internationally renowned artist and educator: He earned his bachelor's degree in art education from YSU in 1964 and his masters degree in painting from Kent State University in 1965.

Al Bright's motto has always been, "maximize your potential, find your voice and reject fear." This motto helped him to face many hardships in life and was something that he encouraged his students to always follow.

He was a pioneer at YSU; he led the way, forged, established, opened up, initiated, prepared and broke new ground for African American faculty. He was the first African American full service faculty member at Youngstown State University in 1965. His appointment and subsequent success paved the way for the hiring of many more African American faculty and staff members.

Professor Bright was the founding director of the Black Studies (Africana Studies) Program at YSU from 1970-1987. As the "Father of Black Studies" he developed an interdisciplinary program of study and coursework that brought curricular diversity to the university and the greater Youngstown area. Students of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds enrolled in Black Studies courses and gained insight, perspective and appreciation for cultures (Nonwestern and African American) that previously was not possible.

For over 40 years, Professor Bright directly influenced, by teaching or mentoring, the careers and lives of thousands of YSU students. The direct impact of his art instruction is obvious on the students who enrolled in his courses; however, his influence extends far beyond the classroom. He has influenced the artistic careers of many local and non-local artists with his teaching, knowledge of and passion for art, moral support and nurturing. His art exhibitions and artistic performances had a direct impact on his teaching style. The exposure and ability to practice his craft made him a more consummate professional, a better teacher and a more dedicated advisor to his students. Students greatly benefitted from the consistent and persistent honing of his skill - his art.

Professor Bright has had more than 100 solo exhibits, including shows at the Butler Institute of American Art, Stanford University, Amherst University, Kent State University and the Canton Art Institute. His work also appears in permanent, private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad, including those at The Butler Institute of American Art, Kent State University Gallery, Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts, Northeastern University, Savannah State University, the Harmon and Harriet Kelly Collection of African-American Art, the Canton Museum of Art, as well as the Paul Jenkins, George Duke and actor/activist, Jim Brown collections. He was one of the world's innovators of a specific genre of performance art, pioneering the concept of creating paintings before an audience, accompanied by live (predominantly) Jazz music. He collaborated with world famous jazz, blues and classical musicians such as Art Blakey, Winton Marsalis, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Jimmy Owens and Robin Eubanks. A 2012 performance on Super Bowl Sunday at the Akron Art Museum, in which he painted "Portals in Time" to live music by the Jesse Dandy Jazz Trio, drew the largest audience the museum has ever seen in its 90-year history.

Al Bright's awards/honors/listings include but are not limited to: Who's Who in American Art, Who's Who in Black America, three (3) Youngstown State University Distinguished Professorship Awards, Phi Kappa Phi National Artist Award Nominee, and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Outstanding Educators of America Award, Youngstown State University Diversity Leadership Award (2011), and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Diversity Award (2011) for Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership and Service to the Youngstown, Ohio community. Al Bright served a five-year term on the Ohio Arts Council, served on the Board of Directors of the Junior Achievement Foundation, a member of the Cleveland Museum of Art African American Advisory Committee, and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.