His success was first recognized with his first solo exhibition in Harlem in 1940. Bearden was a founding member of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in 1970 and was elected to the National Institute of arts and Letters in 1972. Bearden has many different publications such as Six Black Masters of American Art , Lil Dan the Drummer boy: a Civil War Story and other publications. Bearden received numerous awards during his lifetime, two of which were the Mayors Award of Honor for Art and Culture in New York City in 1984 and The national Medal of Arts presented by President Ronald Regan in 1987.