Self-Liberators

This piece depicts a Black hand in bondage holding a bundle of flowers being freed by a Black hand adorned in gold jewelry. The painting reads "WE FREE OURSELVES, CUZ WE AINT DEAD YET," echoing the essence of the image shown. The hand in bondage grasps three periwinkles, a flower which enslaved people used to provide themselves with an honorable burial. The bundle represents both the multitude of lives lost and the delicateness of care, reflecting the often ignored humanity of people in slavery. The hand in bondage represents the Black experience of the past while the adorned hand represents a more contemporary Black experience. The hand which breaks the chain is wearing gold and gems, alluding to the modern Black person, free of enslavement, free to be delicate, and free to experience the luxuries of life. A double meaning may be added, as the gold chains on the adorned hand may allude to the modern bondage of capitalism, providing the illusion of freedom while introducing new forms of oppression. The painting sits atop the pages of "Twelve Years a Slave: The Autobiography of Solomon Northup," a man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, then worked to free himself against all odds. "Self-Liberators" reminds the viewer that the freedoms Black people experience in this country are a result of the tireless efforts by a people who worked and continue to work to save themselves.

***This piece was created in tandem with another artist, Anna A. While this artist came up with the design conceptualization, honoring the history of Black Self-Liberators, Anna's skills brought the concept to life, adding beauty and elegance to the narrative.