Over the past couple of years, we have been faced with a lot of moral dilemmas. I have observed both the best and worst moments on the sidelines. These unsettling events made me think about our ancestors who fought for our freedom. What would they think of the human conditions of today? Would they think we have improved our circumstances or made matters worse? I imagine Harriet Tubman wouldn’t be too pleased seeing how black performers carry on.
What would Marcus Garvey think? Or Malcolm X? What would they think about the ever-developing fascism within the black community? What would they think about the bizarre trend of bleaching our hair and bodies?
Would they have felt like their sacrifice was put to good use? If they were aware of the outcome of the future, would they still do what they did?
All these questions have led me to become inspired to create a painting that captured that moment. A painting I have is titled The Status Report.
The Status Report depicts a room filled with many black activists throughout history. Here are the names of the heroes I was able to add to this painting:
FRONT ROW: Harriet Tubman, Asa Hilliard III, Marcus Garvey, Gabriel Prosser, and Nat Turner.
MIDDLE ROW: Peter Tosh, Cheika Anta Diop, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, Gasper Yanga, Saint Kimpa Vita, and Tackyi.
BACK ROW: KRS-One, Ivan van Sertima, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Colin Kapernick, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, Jack, Khalid Muhammad, Stic.man, and M-1.
The posters on the wall and on the background represent all the protest signs used in Black Liberation marches since 1917. The oldest poster is the “Stop Lynching Us”.
Another detail that stands out about this piece is Marcus Garvey's front and center. While there are heroes who came before him and after, most were connected to the UNIA movement in one way or another. Garvey and Kimpa Vita were the first to push a movement to change the mind of the oppressed. Marcus Garvey’s movement was critical because he believed that if he could convince black people that we were all one people and that we were beautiful, he could encourage black people to move mountains. Based on that idea, other methods to liberate black people branched out.
In a way, each person in this painting uncovered a critical clue or lesson. I don’t believe anything else needs to be said since it will only repeat what was said. The next stage in the revolution is personal preparation for what is to come.
All and all, I am pretty proud of what I have completed. Check out this short video of the making of this painting: