Ruth G. Waddy (January 7, 1909 – May 24, 2003) was an American artist, printmaker, activist, and editor, based in Los Angeles, California.

She attended the University of Minnesota to train for teaching, but left school to work as a domestic servant in Chicago, to help support her family during the Depression.

During World War II, she moved with her young daughter to Los Angeles, California, to work as a riveter at Douglas Aircraft Corporation.

[4] In 1962, she founded Art West Associated, to gather and support the community of African-American artists in Los Angeles.

Notable participants included Raymond Lark, Samella Lewis, John Riddle, and Alonzo Davis.

[13] In one of her most well-known works, The Key, Waddy outlined her artwork with dark geometrical structures and used supplies such as newspapers and magazines to scrap.

[15] Waddy embarked on a cross-country bus trip to gather works for Prints by American Negro Artists (1967), a project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.