Beck was born in Dallas, Texas, and attended Lincoln High School, where he received his only formal art training.
He is possibly known best for his works from the 1960s dealing with the Civil Rights Movement, although Beck commonly featured other subjects, including children, religion, and human interaction, particularly in the African-American community in the southern regions of the United States.
[1] His paintings and sketches were among those selected for inclusion in a touring exhibition of athlete Grant Hill's collection of African-American artists.
Although a petition was signed by over 850 residents, the City Council voted unanimously to reject the proposal, choosing instead to give his name to a gallery within the center.
The decision met with controversy on both sides, as proponents felt that a gallery within the building was not a sufficiently prominent honor, while others argued that the center's current name brings honor to a section of town that is often maligned and that a majority of the petition's signers lived outside the South Dallas area.