Artworks about the African American Civil Rights Movement

The first artwork I really appreciate is the School’s Out, painted by Allan Rohan Crite during the Early Civil Rights Movement. The painting was painted in strong colors. Black school girls are talking or playing in the street, led by their teachers. Obviously this is a segregated school only for black girls. Girls and teachers are well-dressed. Buildings look very nice, which shows this is a rich community. Although schools were divided by race and gender in that time, people in this painting lived a good life because they were accepting a good education. I don’t live in an era that people with different genders and races are required to go to different schools. It is a totally unfamiliar situation for me and I can’t even imagine. The artist tells us that African Americans were dignified and productive despite segregation through this painting. I think it is very positive. It touched me.

The second artwork shows a similar topic. It is A Beauty Pageant, photographed by Henry Clay Anderson during the Modern Civil Rights Movement. The artist captured a moment in an African American beauty contest in segregated Mississippi. Although the African American community was still segregated and African Americans didn’t have equal opportunities as white people in that time, they were still happy and positive. The Artist captured girls’ happy faces and their gorgeous smile. These people’s positive attitude infected me.

The last artwork I am impressed is The Door (Admissions Office), painted by David Hammons. This is a very strong work. The artist coated his body with pigments and printed it onto a glass board. This artwork shows African Americans were not allowed going to public schools and they were struggling against the discrimination. The artist used a very impressive way to depict African Americans’ attitude. It reminds people the discrimination and injustice which African American faced once.