“I've always been interested in history, but they never taught Negro history in the public schools...I don't see how a history of the United States can be written honestly without including the Negro. I didn't [paint] just as a historical thing, but because I believe these things tie up with the Negro today. We don't have a physical slavery, but an economic slavery. If these people, who were so much worse off than the people today, could conquer their slavery, we can certainly do the same thing....I am not a politician. I'm an artist, just trying to do my part to bring this thing about.” PeopleIfsTryingBelieveStatesTodaySchoolArtistI BelieveUnitedUnited StatesWrittenEconomicTaughtPoliticianSlaveryHistoricalPaintIncludingHonestlyConquerTiesPublic SchoolEconomic Slavery Author:Jacob Lawrence
“I honestly believe that sound commercialism is the best test of true value in art. People work hard for their money and if they won't part with it for your product the chances are that your product hasn't sufficient value. An artist or writer hasn't any monopoly .... If the public response to his artistry is lacking, he'd do well to spend more time analyzing what's the matter with his work, and less time figuring what's the matter with the public.” PeopleIfsBelieveWellsArtMatterHardArtistValuesSoundChanceResponsibilityProductsHard WorkTestsResponseHonestlySufficientMore TimeLackingMonopolyChances AreArtistryAnalyzingTrue ValueCommercialism Book:Pegasus Pulls a Hack: Memoirs of a Modern Minstrel Source: Pegasus Pulls a Hack: Memoirs of a Modern Minstrel