Jacob Lawrence

Lore & Background

Jacob Lawrence was born on September 7, 1917, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where his parents had migrated from the rural south. After their divorce in 1924, his mother placed Lawrence and his two younger siblings in foster care in Philadelphia. At age 13, Lawrence moved to New York City and reconnected with his mother in Harlem. He was introduced to art shortly after when his mother enrolled him in after-school classes at Utopia Children's Center. He often drew patterns with crayons, initially copying the patterns of his mother's carpets. After dropping out of school at age 16, Lawrence worked in a laundromat and a printing plant while continuing his art education at the Harlem Art Workshop, taught by Charles Alston. Alston urged him to attend the Harlem Community Art Center, led by Augusta Savage, who secured a scholarship for Lawrence to the American Artists School and a paid position with the Works Progress Administration. Lawrence also studied with Alston and Henry Bannarn in the Alston-Bannarn workshop.

Lawrence developed his signature approach early in his career: creating series of paintings that told a story or depicted many aspects of a subject. His first series were biographical accounts of key figures of the African diaspora, including Toussaint L’Ouverture, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass. In 1940–41, he completed the 60-panel Migration Series, which was exhibited at the Downtown Gallery in Greenwich Village, making him the first African-American artist represented by a New York gallery. The series was purchased jointly by the Phillips Collection and the Museum of Modern Art. During World War II, Lawrence was drafted into the United States Coast Guard and served as a public affairs specialist. He continued to paint and sketch, producing 48 paintings that have since been lost. After the war, he taught at Black Mountain College and later spent 16 years as a professor at the University of Washington.

Reader's Guide

Jacob Lawrence's significance lies in his pioneering role as one of the first African-American artists trained within the Harlem community and his consistent focus on African-American history and everyday life. His 'dynamic cubism' blended European modernist influences with West African and Meso-American art, creating a distinctive visual language. The Migration Series, completed when he was only 23, brought him national recognition and remains a landmark work in American art, depicting the Great Migration through 60 panels that were divided between the Phillips Collection and the Museum of Modern Art. Lawrence's work is held in the permanent collections of numerous major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum, and his 1947 painting The Builders hangs in the White House. His legacy also includes his teaching career, notably 16 years as a professor at the University of Washington, and his influence on subsequent generations of African-American artists. The lost works from his Coast Guard service—48 paintings created during World War II—remain a notable gap in his oeuvre.

Did You Know?

• Lawrence referred to his style as 'dynamic cubism,' drawing inspiration from West African and Meso-American art.
• At age 23, he gained national recognition with his 60-panel The Migration Series, which was purchased jointly by the Phillips Collection and the Museum of Modern Art.
• During World War II, Lawrence served in the United States Coast Guard and produced 48 paintings, all of which have been lost.
• Lawrence spent 16 years as a professor at the University of Washington.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Jacob Armstead Lawrence (September 7, 1917–June 9, 2000) was an African-American painter." — Jacob Lawrence "‘The migrants kept coming’ is a refrain of triumph over adversity. If it rings true for you today, then it must still strike a chord in our American experience." — Jacob Lawrence "When the subject is strong, simplicity is the only way to treat it." — Jacob Lawrence "Jacob Lawrence", Queens Museum of Art website; includes reproductions of several prints from the John Brown series." — Jacob Lawrence