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JACOB LAWRENCE (1917 - 2000) son of a Pennsylvania coal miner, came to Harlem with his mother when he was three. During the 1930s he studied with the pioneer African-American artist, Charles Alston, and with Anton Refregier at the American Artist's School. These mentors, along with Lawrence's occasional work on W.P.A. projects, helped deepen the artist's social consciousness. He enjoyed early recognition with several tempera and gouache series on African-American history: Toussaint L'Ouverture (1937-38), Frederick Douglas (1938-39), Harriet Tubman (1939-40), The Migration of the Negro (1940-41), and John Brown (1941-42). The folios were praised by established critics and purchased by museums, making him one of the first African American artists to be added to major collections in the United States.
Also known for the vivid prints he began producing in 1963 and his monumental mosaic mural (designed 1997, installed 2001) for the New York subway system, Lawrence taught at Black Mountain College, the University of Washington, Seattle (1970–86), and a number of major New York City art schools.
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Jacob lawrence on PBS and NPR
Stories and tributes from Public Broadcasting, with
links to National Public Radio
www.pbs.org
The My Hero Project
Artist Heroes: Jacob Lawrence
www.myhero.com
Smithsonian Oral Histories
An interview with Jacob Lawrence
www.archivesofamericanart.si.edu
Exploring Stories: Jacob Lawrence at the Whitney
Stories, images and resources from their 2002 exhibition, with educational resources for K-12 students
www.whitney.org
Jacob Lawrence: Over The Line
Excellent multi-media presentation by the Phillips Collection supporting the 2001 exhibition
www.phillipscollection.org
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