Lawrence here exhibits his talent for illustrating the narratives of important figures from African-American history. This painting depicts Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist who served as a scout for those escaping slavery from the South to north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Tubman takes center-stage in the space, clutching a revolver and pushing a male figure to carry on, while a group of women, one carrying an infant, follows on. The color palette is kept almost entirely to primary colors, allowing the focus to rest on the figures in the foreground. The title, Forward, correlates with Tubman’s physical movements, while also corresponding to the year of the piece, 1967, in which the Civil Rights Movement in the United States was gaining traction.

SKU: 7113
Creator: Jacob Lawrence
Date: 1967
Original Medium: tempera on Masonite panel
Original Size: 23 7/8 x 35 15/16 in.
Location: North Carolina Museum of Art
© 2010 Jacob Lawrence / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York