Artist Monograph

Jacob Lawrence, American

Jacob Lawrence is represented by 39 works in MoMA's permanent collection, classified as american, with dated works spanning 1940–1997.

American, 1917–2000

Authority records:
Wikidata
· Getty ULAN

Medium & Technique Profile

Primary media across the MoMA holdings

Medium	Works at MoMA	Share
Tempera	32	82.1%
Screenprint	6	15.4%
Gouache	1	2.6%

Technique range

Jacob Lawrence’s MoMA holdings concentrate in Tempera, with secondary engagement in Screenprint, Gouache.

Collection Distribution: MoMA & The Met

Works held at MoMA

MoMA holds a moderate group of 39 works produced between 1940 and 1997 attributed to Jacob Lawrence, representing verified accession records curated by the museum’s Department of Painting and Sculpture and sister departments.

Production timeline

Dated works in these two collections span 57 years, from 1940 to 1997.

Cultural Context & Contemporaries

National context

Jacob Lawrence is catalogued under American nationality. See the full American artists hub.

Contemporaries among American artists

16315
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
works at MoMA
3358
Louise Bourgeois
works at MoMA
2199
Ellsworth Kelly
works at MoMA
1338
Lee Friedlander
works at MoMA
932
George Maciunas
works at MoMA

Lifespan & active period

Lifespan: 1917–2000 (83 years). Artistic production is attributed within this window.

Catalogued Works

MoMA — 39 shown

Title	Date	Medium	Dimensions	Department	Credit line
Although the Negro was used to lynching, he found this an opportune time for him to leave where one had occurred Painting Acc. 28.1942.8	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Among one of the last groups to leave the South was the Negro professional who was forced to follow his clientele to make a living Painting Acc. 28.1942.28	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Among the social conditions that existed which was partly the cause of the migration was the injustice done to the Negroes in the courts Painting Acc. 28.1942.7	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
And people all over the South began to discuss this great movement Painting Acc. 28.1942.13	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
And the migrants kept coming Painting Acc. 28.1942.30	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Another of the social causes of the migrants' leaving was that at times they did not feel safe, or it was not the best thing to be found on the streets late at night. They were arrested on the slightest provocation Painting Acc. 28.1942.11	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Child labor and a lack of education was one of the other reasons for people wishing to leave their homes Painting Acc. 28.1942.12	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Housing for the Negroes was a very difficult problem Painting Acc. 28.1942.24	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
In every home people who had not gone North met and tried to decide if they should go North or not Painting Acc. 28.1942.15	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
In many of the communities the Negro press was read continually because of its attitude and its encouragement of the movement Painting Acc. 28.1942.10	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
In the North the Negro had better educational facilities Painting Acc. 28.1942.29	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Industries attempted to board their labor in quarters that were oftentimes very unhealthy. Labor camps were numerous Painting Acc. 28.1942.23	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Living conditions were better in the North Painting Acc. 28.1942.22	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
One of the largest race riots occurred in East St. Louis Painting Acc. 28.1942.26	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
One of the main forms of social and recreational activities in which the migrants indulged occurred in the church Painting Acc. 28.1942.27	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
Race riots were very numerous all over the North because of the antagonism that was caused between the Negro and white workers. Many of these riots occurred because the Negro was used as a strike breaker in many of the Northern industries Painting Acc. 28.1942.25	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The labor agent who had been sent South by Northern industry was a very familiar person in the Negro counties Painting Acc. 28.1942.14	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The migrants arrived in great numbers Painting Acc. 28.1942.20	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The migration gained in momentum Painting Acc. 28.1942.9	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The Negro press was also influential in urging the people to leave the South Painting Acc. 28.1942.17	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The Negro was the largest source of labor to be found after all others had been exhausted Painting Acc. 28.1942.2	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The railroad stations in the South were crowded with people leaving for the North Painting Acc. 28.1942.16	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The railroad stations were at times so over-packed with people leaving that special guards had to be called in to keep order Painting Acc. 28.1942.6	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The trains were packed continually with migrants Painting Acc. 28.1942.3	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
The World War had caused a great shortage in Northern industry and also citizens of foreign countries were returning home Painting Acc. 28.1942.1	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
They also made it very difficult for migrants leaving the South. They often went to railroad stations and arrested the Negroes wholesale, which in turn made them miss their train Painting Acc. 28.1942.21	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
They also worked in large numbers on the railroad Painting Acc. 28.1942.19	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
They arrived in great numbers into Chicago, the gateway of the West Painting Acc. 28.1942.18	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
They did not always leave because they were promised work in the North. Many of them left because of Southern conditions, one of them being great floods that ruined the crops, and therefore they were unable to make a living where they were Painting Acc. 28.1942.4	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	18 x 12" (45.7 x 30.5 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
They were very poor Painting Acc. 28.1942.5	1940-41	Casein tempera on hardboard	12 x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm)	Painting & Sculpture	Gift of Mrs. David M. Levy
This Is a Family Living in Harlem Drawing Acc. 684.1971	1943	Gouache, ink, and pencil on paper	22 5/8 x 15 5/8" (57.4 x 39.6 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Gift of Mrs. Maurice Blin
Sedation Drawing Acc. 15.1951	1950	Casein tempera on paper	30 7/8 x 22 3/4" (78.6 x 58 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Kastor
Street Shadows Drawing Acc. 1631.2000	1959	Egg tempera on board	24 x 29 7/8" (61 x 75.9 cm).	Drawings & Prints	Gift of Ellen Kern and Gail Garlick in memory of their parents, Jewel and Lewis Garlick
Builders No.3 Print Acc. 13.1975	1974	Screenprint	composition 30 1/8 x 22 1/4" (76.5 x 56.5 cm) sheet 34 1/16 x 25 7/8" (86.5 x 65.7 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Purchase
The 1920's … The Migrants Arrive and Cast Their Ballots from Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence Print Acc. 503.1976.8	1974, published 1975	Screenprint from a portfolio of six lithographs, four screenprints (one with collage additions), and two lithograph and screenprints	composition: 32 × 24 3/8" (81.3 × 61.9 cm); sheet: 34 3/8 × 25 7/8" (87.3 × 65.7 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Gift of Lorillard, A Division of Loews Theatres, Inc.
Hiroshima Illustrated Book Acc. 332.1985.1-8	1983	Illustrated book with 8 screenprints	Composition (each): 12 1/2 x 9 3/8" (31.7 x 23.8 cm) Page: 12 3/16 x 9 3/8" (31 x 23.8 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Gift of Edmund B. Thorton
To Preserve Their Freedom from the series The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture Print Acc. 287.2004	1988	Screenprint	composition: 18 1/2 × 28 11/16" (47 × 72.8 cm); sheet: 22 x 32" (55.9 x 81.3 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Joanne M. Stern Fund
The March from the series The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture Print Acc. 288.2004	1995	Screenprint	composition: 18 1/16 × 27 15/16" (45.8 × 70.9 cm); sheet: 22 1/8 x 32" (56.2 x 81.3 cm)	Drawings & Prints	John B. Turner Fund
The Opener from the series The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture Print Acc. 289.2004	1997	Screenprint	sheet: 22 1/4 × 32 1/8" (56.5 × 81.6 cm)	Drawings & Prints	Mary Ellen Oldenburg Fund

Frequently Asked Questions

How many works by Jacob Lawrence are in MoMA?

MoMA's catalogue lists 39 works attributed to Jacob Lawrence.

What medium did Jacob Lawrence primarily work in?

Based on MoMA's holdings, Jacob Lawrence's most represented medium is Tempera.

What nationality is Jacob Lawrence?

Jacob Lawrence is catalogued as American in MoMA's Artists index.

When were Jacob Lawrence's works created?

Dated works in MoMA + Met for Jacob Lawrence span 1940 to 1997.