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Jacob Lawrence: 1917-2000

Read the questions.  Click on the underlined words to go to the web sites.  You do not need to answer the questions in any particular order. Click here for William Johnson Lesson.  

My belief is that it is most important for an artist to develop an approach and philosophy about life—if he has developed this philosophy, he does not put paint on canvas, he puts himself on canvas    ~ Jacob Lawrence, 1946

1. What is meant by "Harlem Renaissance"?  Why is the word renaissance a good choice for this art movement?  What is the time period of the Harlem Renaissance?
   http://www.fatherryan.org/harlemrenaissance/  
   http://www.artcyclopedia.com/history/harlem-renaissance.html
   
   
2. Most of my work depicts events from the many Harlems which exist throughout the United States. This is my genre... the happiness, tragedies, and the sorrows of mankind as realized in the teeming black ghetto. —Jacob Lawrence

   See a variety of works by Jacob Lawrence.  Phillips Collection- Over the Line Find that works that fit the quote by Lawrence (above). Explain your choices.
   
   

3. Visit this Harlem Renaissance site. What did Lawrence think about the way American history was taught in school?  How did his reaction to American history inspire his work? What kinds of themes did he present? Find out more about Lawrence's Expressions of Freedom.
   
   
4. Jacob Lawrence: Story Teller Harriet Tubman was one of Lawrence's "heroes" --Why? How does Lawrence tell the story about "The Great Migration" (text)? What does Lawrence communicate about himself through his self-portraits? (Note: These resources are no longer online)
   
   
5. Mark Harden's Artchive has biographical information and selected images. Go to the Artcylcopedia to find more sites of interest for African American artist, Jacob Lawrence. Why do you suppose Lawrence is one of the most well known artists of the Harlem Renaissance?  http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/lawrence_jacob.html
   
   
6. Find a topic of interest from Chicago University's Gateway to African American History. What site did you select and why?  What new information did you learn? (no longer online)
   
   
   
7. Enjoy these illustrations for Aesop's Fables by Jacob Lawrence.  
   
   
8. Read about the poet, Langston Hughes.  Why do you think the poems of Langston Hughes were an inspiration to the black artists of the Harlem Renaissance?

MORE ON AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS

NOTE TO TEACHERS: Many of my links were broken on this lesson and were removed.  Preview these sites and let me know if links are broken or misdirected. Email address on home page. Give me a little lead time before you need this page with students if work needs to be done.