Jacob Lawrence Research Paper

Name: Mitchell Ledet
Institution: Central Texas College
Department: Fine Arts
Date of submission: 15 December 2011
Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence was, a great visual artist who lived between 1917 to 2000 and is recognized as being among the visual artists of the twentieth century whose work were of great significance. He discovered his skill at a young age since he joined an art school in New York and also due to the fact that his mother had artistic skills in the preparation of carpets. He dropped out of school albeit continuing attending art classes to further pursue the honing of his skills (Potter, 2002). He was enlisted in the army during the Second World War where he did paintings and sketches and would later become a Professor of Arts in the University of Washington. Jacob
Lawrence was awarded numerous honours with respect to his contribution in the arts field. His work on the on the Great Migration series is remarkable and is the basis of this report’s analysis (Potter, 2002).
The Great Migration that occurred starting from post first world war involved the migration of blacks from the Southern states, specifically in rural farms to Northern urban cities.
Jacob Lawrence paintings and sketches of the Great Migration Series were inspired by the movement of these African Americans from the Southern States to Upper states of the greater United States of America. The paintings were coupled with literature that brought the points or bearings of the reasons for the mass exodus of Afro-Americans to the Upper cities which included Chicago, New York and St. Louis in Missouri. He was encouraged to portray in paintings the story of the emigration of these black folks into urban cities (Potter, 2002).
His series was divided into three phases with respect o the timeline in the migration course. The first series are paintings that show life in the South and the problems that the Black Southerners faced. The second part of he series is concerned with the migration or the journey of these blacks to the Northern States while the third part of the Great Migration Series is concerned with the portrayal of settlement of the Afro-Americans in the Northern cities (Potter,
2002).
The first part of the series of the Great Migration shows the life in the South and the hardship faced by the Southern African-Americans. Life for the Southern Blacks was unbearable for the reason that the Southern White folks were intolerant towards the improving of the conditions of these Blacks. The hardships they faced included extreme racism, Slavery, segregation and did not have the right to participate in political activities.
The paintings of the series includes picture that portrays the Black folks harvesting agricultural crops, indicating the slavery that was rampant in the southern parts. The African-Americans provided free and forced labour in the farms since the Southern states were involved in large scale agricultural activities. The southern Blacks therefore consisted of a huge proportion with respect to the total population of the Blacks (Bearden and Harry, 1993). This in turn indicates that a large number of Blacks were in Slavery. The Northern states offered the Blacks an opportunity to be involved in employment with remuneration for their services. Once they got wind of this opportunity it made them to be highly anticipative towards moving to these Northern States that offered better terms for their services.
The African Americans living in the Southern states experienced extreme racism. The White Southerners were intolerant compared to the ones from the North. The segregation and rate of hate levelled against the Blacks living in the Southern states was therefore they obviously would have wanted to move to areas where there was less or no racism towards them (Bearden and Harry, 1993).
The Southern African Americans were also not able to participate in political activities and hence they could elect or be elected to political posts. In comparison the Northern States Black folks had a right to vote hence making the movement to upward states more enticing. In his second series, the paintings represent the journey of African Americans to the North. The paintings include pictures of people in transit and trains that signify the movement of the Southern African Americans to the North in search of better living conditions. Once the Black Southerners were enlightened of the better living conditions in the North it prompted hem to move northwards irrespective of the aftermath.
The third part of the series is concerned wit the settlement and integration of these Southerners in the Northern States. The paintings portrayed the blacks in better clothes and houses although the segregation and racism still existed (Nesbit and Michelle, 2002). The severity of life’s hardship was mitigated by the upward movement. The African Americans were able to get employment opportunities in the industries in the Northern cities although they lived in the projects as part of the segregation (Nesbit and Michelle, 2002).
Jacob Lawrence’s Great Migration series work therefore goes to portray the mass emigration of the Afro-Americans from the Southern States due to the deplorable living conditions to the Northern States where living conditions were drastically different and much improved with respect to the southern States. Therefore his virtual work has enabled the portrayal of the Great Migration hence making an artist of the twentieth century who is to be reckoned with.
Works cited
Sayre, Henry. A World of Art Sixth Edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bearden, Romare, & Harry, Henderson. A History of African Americans, New York: Pantheon Books, 1993.
Michelle, Dubois, & Nesbit, Peter. Over the Line: The life and art of Jacob Lawrence, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2002