One of the first nationally recognized African-American artists, Jacob Lawrence compassionately and compellingly illustrated African-American life, history and his concern for human freedom and dignity. Growing up in Harlem during the Depression, Lawrence (1917 – 2000) was profoundly influenced by his surroundings and the community’s emerging African-American writers, artists and musicians. Calling his style “dynamic cubism,” he distilled images and experiences into flat, angular forms and bright colors. At age 24, Lawrence was critically acclaimed after his masterpiece, “The Migration Series,” was exhibited at New York’s prestigious Downtown Gallery.

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