U.S. History

Jacob Lawrence was the first African-American visual artist to gain recognition in the white art world. This multimedia exhibit from the Philips Collection in Washington, DC, gives a good overview of his life and work.

Here's a brief interview with Jacob Lawrence from PBS.

Here's a close look at one painting from Jacob Lawrence's work -- about working women.

And this painting of Southern Injustice links with the 1898 race riots in Wilmington.

Here's one more painting to look at.

And here's one that depicts the kind of work available to blacks who moved to the North.

Here's a statement about history from Jacob Lawrence.

Look at the whole Migration Series.

For context about immigration to the US, see this Ellis Island timeline.

Use the online resources to find a picture that speaks to you. Please print the painting out and write a paragraph or so about what it means to you/makes you think about.

For instance, I like the perspective of this picture. I feel like I am on stage, addressing a group of English men -- all white -- and the expressions on their faces are "oh my goodness." I particularly am drawn to the middle figure in the seventh row back on the left side of the hall. His side profile, talking to the person next to him with his mouth agape with astonishment, sort of says "I can't believe this is happening!" I also notice several figures with their hands over their ears, as though they do not want to hear this story (perhaps they do not want to hear -- or think about -- the British role in financing the slave trade). Those audeince members with their hands next to their ears also remind me of the famous painting The Scream.

I also did some quick research, and found this context from the life of Frederick Douglass.