Napoleon Jones-Henderson was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1943, to Minnie Maxine Washington and Woodrow Lewis Henderson. From his earliest days, he was enveloped in the warmth and resilience of family, growing up in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. 

As the family grew, Napoleon became the eldest of eight siblings. During his teenage years he worked at his grandfather’s store, learning entrepreneurship and self‑reliance. Later, when his mother married John Unger, he became the oldest of thirteen siblings, carrying that role with steadiness and heart.

Napoleon’s artistic talent shone brightly from a young age. While attending George Washington Carver high school he was introduced to weaving by an art teacher. After high school, he received a scholarship to study at the Sorbonne Student Continuum-Student and Artist Center in Paris, France, where he was immersed in an independent study program in French Art History and Figure Drawing. Upon returning to the United States, he pursued his passion at the Art Institute of Chicago, earning his B.F.A. in 1971.

In 1974, Napoleon and his former wife, Annette Jones (deceased), moved to Boston’s historic Roxbury neighborhood, for a teaching position at Massachusetts College of Art. The two welcomed their cherished daughters, Mamemaeli and Lylana—names woven from the loving threads of grandparents, great-aunts, and aunts, embodying the family’s profound bonds. Napoleon educated his daughters at home, grounding their early learning in Black history, literacy, and mathematics, he made sure they grew up with a deep sense of who they were, where they came from, and the power of their own minds.

Settling in Boston, Napoleon built deep roots in the local art scene. He formed key alliances, including with Edmund Barry Gaither, director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists (now the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists), where his monumental AfriCOBRA-inspired woven tapestries were exhibited, and admired the works of Roxbury artist John Wilson. In 1979, amid the flourishing Black arts renaissance in Boston, Napoleon—together with eight other visual artists—became a founding member of the Boston Collective. Guided by the esteemed Dr. Allan Rohan Crite, the group formed an intergenerational and multicultural community rooted in politically and spiritually charged figuration. Their work helped spark a profound resurgence of Black visual arts in Boston throughout the 1980s, echoing Crite’s vision of cultural continuity across time, place, and ancestral lineage. The Collective’s impact extended far beyond the city, gaining regional, national, and international recognition, and culminating in a major exhibition in China in 1986.

Napoleon pursued advanced studies with excellence, earning credits toward graduate work at Northern Illinois University and later completing his M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2005. His dedication to teaching spanned generations, profoundly influencing countless students and artists and has served in various academic positions at several institutions: Malcolm X College in Chicago; Massachusetts College of Art and Design; Emerson College and Roxbury Community College in Boston; Vermont College of Norwich University in Montpelier; and an Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Benedict College in Columbia, SC.

In 1987, Napoleon created Nyame Birbi Wo Soro, a stunning enamel-on-copper-on-mahogany installation for the doors of the RCC Library. His artwork is currently still in the library, located in the entryway, greeting all who enter and serving as a daily reminder of his brilliance and generosity.

In 2024, Napoleon was an active participant in RCC’s recent 50th Anniversary Celebration. Along with Stephen Hamilton, he created “Vibratory Spirits and HooDoo Rhythms | The Seer," a 51-inch-tall x 55-inch-wide, 40-pound installation, which was unveiled at the 50th Anniversary Gala. This sculptural work represents both artists’ perspectives on the Roxbury community and its rich history. In addition, to his most recent installment, Napoleon’s 1987 enamel-on-copper-on-mahogany installment Nyame Birbi Wo Soro, is on display in the library. Additionally, he was named one of RCC’s 50 Pioneers, and received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the College for his exceptional, long-term support.

He was honored with artist residencies at institutions including Towson University, Syracuse University, the McDonough School, and most recently at the King School Museum of Contemporary Art in Portland, OR. Napoleon also served in lecture residencies, as a visiting artist, juror, and curator for countless exhibitions and panels. His accolades recognized both his masterful artwork and his tireless community outreach and curatorial advocacy for Black art worldwide. He was honored by the National Conference of Artists with the Award of Excellence and by the Massachusetts State Senate with an “Official Citation for Cultural Excellence.” Among other distinctions, Jones-Henderson received the Boston Foundation’s Brother Thomas Fellowship, the Merit of Honor Award from the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, the Award for Outstanding Recognition from the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and most recently the Center for Art, Research, and Alliances Fellowship.  

Napoleon cherished his time between Roxbury and Statesboro, GA, where he and his beloved life partner of 25 years, Dr. Fayth Parks, found peace in the slower pace of life and the warmth of genuine southern hospitality. Although he never truly retired, he found his happy place reading on the beaches of Hilton Head, SC, the rare moments when this man, always in motion, would actually sit still. Each year, they made their pilgrimage to the Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC, immersing themselves in the rich traditions and vibrant culture of the Gullah Geechee people. They shared a deep love of travel, often arriving from different parts of the world, yet somehow, in a bit of magic that became their signature, they managed to book flights that landed at the same time. It was just one of the many ways their lives were beautifully intertwined, a testament to a partnership built on adventure, love, and the joy of living their best lives.

Napoleon’s true joy was his granddaughter, Krymson, whom he affectionately called HoneyBee. She assisted him on countless commission installations, carefully arranging and affixing enamel sections so they were ready to be mounted. For his 2015 commission, Roxbury Rhapsody, Krymson—along with his mentees, former MassArt students Chanel Thervil and Flolynda Jean—remained deeply committed to the project. Together, they studied his creative process and his artistic language of bright colors and rhythmic shapes, forms that wove stories of community memory, ancestral presence, and the everyday beauty of Black life in Roxbury. Napoleon’s life was measured in color, care, and the quiet rituals of family.

He found his greatest joy simply spending time with Krymson, who learned photography at his side and lovingly documented his work—from the installation of Roxbury Rhapsody to the opening of I AM As I Am — A Man at the Institute of Contemporary Art. He took pride in mentoring young artists and in the steady hands that helped assemble his enamel panels; just as deeply, he cherished the small, ordinary afternoons with Krymson, watching movies and sharing tortilla chips topped with goat cheese or crumbled feta cheese. Those simple moments, full of laughter and tenderness, now stand as the truest testament to a life devoted to art, family, and the passing on of creative spirit. He leaves behind a legacy of creative courage, intergenerational care, and a city forever shaped by his vision.

He was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow L. Henderson; mother, Minnie Maxine Unger; stepfather, John Unger; brothers: Seth Ibrahim, Frank Henderson, and Howard Henderson; stepbrother, Alvin Unger; and stepsister, Barbara Unger.

Napoleon Jones-Henderson is survived by his beloved daughters, Mamemaeli Jones-Henderson and Lylana Jones-Henderson (Roxbury, MA); granddaughter, Krymson Jones-Henderson (Roxbury, MA); devoted life partner, Dr. Fayth Parks of (Statesboro, GA); brothers: Woodrow L. Henderson (Manhattan, NYC) and Glenn Henderson (Rockford, IL); sisters: Mazal Green (Netivot, Israel) and Cheryl (Chicago, IL); stepsisters: Johnetta Cocroft (Oak Park, MI), Pearlie Unger (Chicago, IL), and Ola Unger (Detroit, MI).

His legacy reaches a multitude of nephews, nieces, great-nieces, great-nephews, relatives, extended family, and a vast community of artists and admirers bound by his passion. Napoleon’s impeccable spirit will endure, inspiring generations.

May his memory be a blessing, and may his creative light guide all whose lives he touched.

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