Memorabilia

Print series 50 of 100.

Donated to the State Black Archives Research Center & Museum by Velma A. Walker.

Artist's bio: Jacob Lawrence (September 7, 1917 - 2013 June 9, 2000) was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and spent parts of his youth in Philadelphia and Easton, PA before his family settled in Harlem, NY. His arrival coincided with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and early 1930s. It was his experiences during this time that shaped both his development and his future work as an artist. Showing an interest in art, Lawrence received encouragement from fellow community members. He received early training at the Harlem Arts workshops. Some of his most significant work was produced as a member of the WPA Federal Art Project, including his groundbreaking series "The Migration of the American Negro," which documents the post-World War I movement of large numbers of southern African Americans to the north in search of employment. Throughout his career, Lawrence produced art prodigiously. He often referred to his own style as dynamic cubism, and drew inspiration from the sights and sounds of Harlem, NY. He was commissioned to paint murals for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and the Bicentennial in 1976, as well as covers for Time Magazine. With his numerous paintings chronicling the African American experience, and his unique style, Jacob Lawrence secured his stature as one of the most prominent American artists of the 20th Century.

Digitized by J.F. Drake Memorial LRC; Alabama A&M University.