by Jennifer | Apr 12, 2017
Created by Boonsboro High School, Boonsboro, MD
Artist: Molly
Title: Cotton
Teacher: Mrs. Green
Theme: Freedom
Materials and techniques: Foam board, pins, thread, and scissors.
Did you enjoy this project? Yes, because it allowed me to present part of U.S. history in an untraditional format.
About: My artwork is about the transition from slavery into schools over time. On the left, the cotton field represents the beginnings of the United States and its roots in slavery, the road on the right provides a transition that represents time progressing to reach the school in the distance. The school is Little Rock Central High School, a major turning point in American educational history.
by Jennifer | Apr 12, 2017
Created by Boonsboro High School, Boonsboro, MD
Artists: Olivia
Title: Breaking Time
Teacher: Mrs. Green
Theme: Education
Materials and techniques: Pen- cross hatching.
Did you enjoy this project? Yes very much. I enjoyed researching the background of Harpers Ferry and even visiting the raid building. I was able to let my creative side show in create a complex, yet simple piece.
About: My artwork is about the time development of education for black people. The top displays John Brown’s raid building with shackles constricting the building to display the tight hold of slavery. At the bottom of the building it begins to disintegrate into sand that flows through the center of the hourglass. The sand from the building goes down to the bottom portion of the hourglass to create a negative border around the profile of a black man with shackles being broken from his mind. This illustrates the bounds that were once help against him. Keeping him from education and creativity.
by Jennifer | Apr 12, 2017
Created by Boonsboro High School, Boonsboro, MD
Artist: Breanna
Title: Reaching
Teacher: Mrs. Green
Theme: Freedom
Materials and techniques: Watercolor, gauche, acrylic paint, and graphite.
Did you enjoy this project? Yes, it was interesting to explore using a different basis to my artwork. The cloth something very new for me and it was fun to experiment with it.
About: The overall idea is the power of persistence, and fighting ones right to success and happiness.
by Jennifer | Apr 12, 2017
Created by Boonsboro High School, Boonsboro, MD
Artist: Allison
Title: Bass Reeves
Teacher: Mrs. Green
Theme: Equality
Materials and techniques: I used acrylic paint as my medium.
Did you enjoy this project? I very much enjoyed this project because it gave me a mode through which to teach history to others.
About: My artwork recognizes the important historical contribution of an African American man in the late 1800’s. Bass Reeves was one of the first African American’s to be employed as a U.S. Marshal. He made over 3,000 arrests during his career, and killed only 14 outlaws out of self-defense. HIs morals and humble spirit went somewhat unnoticed despite having his career publicized in a later television show. The T.V. show ‘The Lone Ranger’ starred the efforts of Bass Reeves, but portrayed him as a more socially acceptable white male. In learning about Bass Reeves, I find it essential to teach others about his life through modes like this contest. He represents ‘Shackles to Scholars’ to me by embodying a man who rose above present discriminations to be successful in his career.
by Jennifer | Apr 12, 2017
Created by T. A. Lowery Elementary School, Shenandoah Junction, WV
Artist: Nate
Title: Give Me the Opportunity
Teacher: Mrs. Nupp
Theme: Freedom
Materials and techniques: Acrylic paints and permanent markers.
Did you enjoy this project? Yes.
About: What slavery was like before freedom and equality? It is a comparison of the two and how emotional and degrading slavery was to the black man versus now the healing process and given the opportunity are men are equal.
