Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 7, 1917. He was the oldest child of Jacob and Rosa Lee Lawrence. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. Jacob Lawrence’s mother lost her job, so during his junior year, he dropped out of high school to find a job. Lawrence enrolled in the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, and was sent to New York, where he planted trees, drained swamps, and built dams.

The Burning (http://www.a-r-t.com/lawrence/LouvertureWeb/index.htm)

Jacob Lawrence became well known for his " Toussaint L'Ouverture Series ". At age 21, he created this collection of 41 paintings, which shows the Haitian slave rebellion. He used his artwork to tell stories and show the struggles African-Americans had to face.

In 1941, Jacob Lawrence married Gwendolyn Knight, another painter. Jacob and Gwendolyn moved to Seattle when Jacob was offered a job as a Professor in the School of Art at the University of Washington in 1970. He retired in 1980, but continued as Emeritus Professor.

His art work is displayed in public museums and private collections all over the United States. He became the first African-American to have artwork included in the permanent collection at the New York Museum of Modern Art when he was only 24.

Jacob Lawrence died on June 9, 2000. He was 83 when he died in his sleep at his home in Seattle, Washington.