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Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle is the first museum exhibition of the series of paintings Struggle: From the History of the American People (1954–56).
Created during the modern civil rights era, Lawrence’s (the best known black American artist of the 20th century) 30 intimate panels interpret pivotal moments in the American Revolution and the early decades of the republic between 1770 and 1817 and, as he wrote, “depict the struggles of a people to create a nation and their attempt to build a democracy.”
Reunited for the first time in more than sixty years, the Struggle paintings revive Lawrence's way of reimagining American history as shared history. Utilizing historical fact to underscore universal values, he created a broader narrative of U.S. history by pairing image and text, quoting a range of voices and rendering figures from prominent Founding Fathers to underrepresented historical actors. The paintings of the series, along with works by contemporary artists Derrick Adams, Bethany Collins, and Hank Willis Thomas, resonate with the effortful pursuit of democracy, justice, truth, and inclusion — struggles ongoing around our nation and the world today. The exhibition, organized by PEM, will tour nationally.
Share your impressions with us on social media using #AmericanStruggle.
Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit arts.gov. Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation, Jennifer and Andrew Borggaard, James B. and Mary Lou Hawkes, Kate and Ford O'Neil, Henry and Callie Brauer and Burt Adelman and Lydia Rogers provided generous support. We also recognize the generosity of the East India Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum.
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Jacob Lawrence, . . . is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? —Patrick Henry, 1775, Panel 1, 1955, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56. Egg tempera on hardboard. Collection of Harvey and Harvey-Ann Ross. © The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation. Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Bob Packert/PEM.
Artist Jacob Lawrence with panels 26 and 27 from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56. © Robert W. Kelley/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images.
Jacob Lawrence, Trappers, Panel 22, 1956, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56, egg tempera on hardboard. Collection of Robert Gober and Donald Moffett. © The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Bob Packert/PEM.
Jacob Lawrence, Thousands of American citizens have been torn from their country and from everything dear to them: they have been dragged on board ships of war of a foreign nation. —Madison, 1 June 1812, Panel 19, 1956, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56. Egg tempera on hardboard. Collection of Harvey and Harvey-Ann Ross. © The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Stephen Petegorsky.
Jacob Lawrence, In all your intercourse with the natives, treat them in the most friendly and conciliatory manner which their own conduct will admit . . . —Jefferson to Lewis & Clark, 1803, Panel 18, 1956, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56. Egg tempera on hardboard. Collection of Harvey and Harvey-Ann Ross. © The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Bob Packert/PEM.
Jacob Lawrence, 120.9.14.286.9.33-ton 290.9.27 be at 153.9.28.110.8.19.255.9.29 evening 178.9.8 —an informer’s coded message, Panel 11, 1955, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–55, egg tempera on hardboard. Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Stanford University, gift of Dr. Herbert Kayden and Family in memory of Dr. Gabrielle H. Reem. © The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Virtual Tour
Click to embark on a 360° tour of Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle. Click on the rings to move throughout the space and use your mouse or keyboard to zoom in/out and to look around.
Curator perspective
Learn more about the exhibition with PEM curator Lydia Peabody.
Artist Conversation: Derrick Adams
Hear what artist Derrick Adams has to say about his contribution to the exhibition.
Artist Conversation: Bethany Collins
Listen to artist Bethany Collins describe her work and involvement with the exhibition.
Exhibition catalogue
Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle explores his radical way of transforming American history into art by visualizing a progression of struggle. The paintings’ captions are direct quotations derived from historical texts such as letters, petitions, military reports, and speeches authored by named and unnamed individuals that represent signal moments in the American Revolution.
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