The Civil Rights Movement

 

The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. Leading up to the passage of this act, there was a lot of prejudice and discrimination practiced towards minority populations in the U.S. Segregation was a common, this included separate public facilities such as bathrooms, water fountains, buses, housing, jobs, schools, and limited services. Many black people started marching to protest these inequalities.

People like Rosa Parks refused to accept unfair discrimination in a free country. Rosa would not give up her bus seat to a white man and was arrested. Many minority people were not allowed to access public services. There were many incidences all over the US.

    During this, many black and minority people started marching, protesting and rioting out on the streets for equal rights.  It turned violent, two great leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were assassinated. 

    There were a lot of segregation here in Alaska also. My father and many other Alaska Native people experienced prejudice first-hand. Many public places had signs that stated "No Natives or dogs allowed". This was a very sad time for many people.

    Elizabeth Peratrovich was also a Tlingit Native woman leader who fought for Native rights here in Alaska. She stood up to prejudice and she was even jailed for standing up for Native rights. Elizabeth Peratrovich and many other leaders fought for our Alaska Native rights; this is all through the Civil Rights act. These powerful paintings reflect on what was going on during that era.

  

Marian Anderson by Beauford Delaney, 1965 oil on canvas

This beautiful portrait of Marian Anderson was painted by Beauford Delaney. Marian Anderson was a singer who had inspired many artists during the Civil Right Movement. She even sang at the Lincoln Memorial.  The figure shape is nicely painted, her features are also nicely painted. Her sweater is very colorful. She is looking at you as she is saying we will all get through this together. The back ground is brightly painted yellow, it shows hope and cheerful even through the uncertain time of the Civil Rights Movement.

 

James Baldwin by Beauford Delaney, 1965, oil on canvas.  

James Baldwin was a Civil Rights activist. I like the yellow sweater he is wearing. The color texture of his black hair and brown skin stands out. The brightly yellow back ground shows hope and that something great will come from all of this all. I really like this painting that was created during this era.

    

 

Walking, by Charles Alston 1958, oil on canvas 

   

 This artwork titled Walking, was painted by Charles Alston in 1958. Alston painted this after the arrest of Rosa Parks, who did not want to give up her sit to a white man. This is a powerful colorful painting of mainly black people marching for their equal rights. They marched by the thousands, as this painting shows. The colors forms and shapes show the strength of oneness for a great cause. The texture and lines clearly show the what the people are doing. It looks like a crowded space.   I am glad there are evidence of all of our history. We should never let history repeat itself.  

The Family by Charles Alston, 1955 oil on canvas

     

      This a beautiful portrait by Charles Henry Alston is a powerful portrait of a black family during the Civil Rights Movement. The colors add to a united family. I like the brown color, texture, shape of the face and the family figures. Their faces expression shows that they are serious and tensed due to all that is happening during this dramatic time, but through it all, many families had strong family ties and they all stood together. As I write about the Civil rights movement, it greatly moved me as an Indigenous man. All this that happened also affects us here in Alaska as Alaskan Natives.  I really admire the black people and other minority people, who are leaders, elders, celebrities, who all fought for equal rights and for the Civil Rights Movements, making us all more free and equal as Americans.

  

Elizabeth by Michaela Goade 

    

This beautiful painting of Elizabeth Peratrovich, an Alaskan Native equal rights activist, was created by artist Michaela Goade. Elizabeth fought for the equal rights of Native people, and was instrumental in the 1945 passage of the first anti-discrimination law in the United States. Elizabeth was a leader of the Alaska Native Sisterhood. She too faced prejudice and she was harassed in public places where Native were not allowed to enter. Many public places had sign on their doors and windows “No Natives or Dogs Allowed”. Elizabeth Peratrovich stood her ground and fought for her rights; she even was jailed because of this.

This grand painting has a portrait of Elizabeth Peratrovich is nice done, you can see her colorful elegant black hair and her red dress, as she stands tall. The painted raven is beautifully painted with light blue and the lines and shapes show this perfect work. She was from the raven clan of her Tlingit tribe and heritage. All our great leaders and important elders worked hard for our freedom and equal rights. It is very important to learn and remember the great work they had done. They have earned our respect and honor.

    

     This is a beautiful painting, “We are Water Protectors”, painting by Michaela Goade. Many Indigenous people view their connection to the water and land as a human rights issue. This painting shows a strong young Native girl with beautiful jet, black hair, her face feature is brown and it is partly shadowed with nice texture of black. Her dress and her jewelry are all nicely painted. The painted white feather she is hold has a meaning that she and others are fighting our land, water, subsistence and our way of life and our God given rights. I really like night time painting of the dark blue sky and the bright stars, it seems to say, we will all make it, as the painted dark people holding hands are saying, as we are all united, we will not fall.

The Civil Rights Movement is a powerful time in America, that we can still learn from today. We can all work together and make our world a better to live in. I was very moved and touch by all the historical events that took during this era. We should never forget it.

Citations

https://www.nga.gov/learn/teachers/lessons-activities/uncovering-america/civil-rights.html

https://c4aa.org/2020/06/artistic-activism-during-the-civil-rights-movement

https://www.michaelagoade.com/

https://doodles.google/doodle/celebrating-elizabeth-peratrovich/