National Archives at College Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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On September 7, 1917, legendary painter Jacob Lawrence was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He became a pioneer in the realm of African American art and an influential figure in the broader world of modern art.
Raised in Harlem, New York, during the cultural explosion of the Harlem Renaissance, he was exposed to a community of artists. This environment served as a wellspring of inspiration for his work, which often depicted the everyday lives of Black people.
Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsNational Archives at College Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsNew members of the National Endowment for the Arts were sworn in at a ceremony in Washington, Friday, May 12, 1978. This group is an independent agency of the Federal Government created in 1965 to encourage and assist the nation’s cultural resources. From left is Livingston L. Biddle Jr., chairman of the Arts Council; new members Theodore Bikel, Georgetown, Conn.; Maureen Dees, Matthews, Ala.; and Jacob Lawrence, Seattle, Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
One of Lawrence’s most renowned series of paintings is “The Migration Series,” completed in 1941. This collection of 60 paintings masterfully chronicled the Great Migration, a massive movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North in the early 20th century.
In 1941, Lawrence married painter Gwendolyn Knight. They remained married until his death in Seattle in 2000.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
