Jacob Lawrence
The 1920’s . . . The Migrants Cast Their Ballots, 1974
Color screenprint on paper
81.3 x 61.9 cm (32 x 24 3/8 inches)
Gift of Lorillard 76.116
Looking closely at a print by artist Jacob Lawrence showing voters in the 1920s, artist and activist Jordan Seaberry shares why voting matters. He leads us through the process of voting at a polling station and emphasizes the struggles experienced especially by people of color in their fight for the right to vote in the United States. He explains the differences between local, state, and federal elections; how to register to vote; and why ongoing barriers to voting should motivate you to register, vote, and keep voting.
Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) was a prominent African American painter who worked from the 1930s until his death. Using colorful simplified forms, he rendered the everyday lives and experiences of Black Americans, often inspired by Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. He also depicted significant historical figures and events. One important group of paintings is his Migration series (1940–1941), which narrates the Great Migration of African American people after World War I from the rural South to urban centers including New York.
Jordan Seaberry is a painter, organizer, legislative advocate, and educator. Previously the chairman of the Board of Canvassers, which oversees the process of elections for the city of Providence, Rhode Island, Jordan is currently the co-director of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, a people-powered nonprofit agency. You can learn about his art and activism here:
https://www.jordanseaberry.com/
In the RISD Museum’s collections, you can find Seaberry’s The Wanderer (2015) and Hallmarks (2018).
Barriers to Voting and Reasons to Challenge Them
Jordan Seaberry asks us to think about who gains when young people and underrepresented people don’t vote. He describes barriers to voting, including voter-identification laws, and encourages listeners to challenge and fight against unfair obstacles in the election process.
Why Voting Matters: The Legacy and Importance of Voting
Seaberry explores Jacob Lawrence’s 1974 print titled The 1920s…The Migrants Cast Their Ballots, pointing out striking details in this image of voters in action. He shares valuable perspective and information about why voting matters, both in the past and now, both for individuals and generations of people.
Different Levels of Elections
Here Seaberry explains local, state, and federal elections. From voting for the mayor of your city to voting for the president of the United States, each type of election matters.
How Do You Vote, and What Is a Polling Station?
Here the experience of voting on the day of an election is described.
Questions to Think About, and How to Do More:
What stood out to you as you looked at Jacob Lawrence’s print of voters in the 1920s?
What stood out listening to Jordan Seaberry?
What other aspects of voting and elections would you want to show through art?
Why do you think voting is important?
What are some of the challenges in the voting process?
What else are you curious about that was shared and discussed?
What more do you want to learn about voting, voting rights, and elections?
To find voter resources, explore your state’s Board of Elections websites. Here is the site for the state of Rhode Island: https://elections.ri.gov/
Josa Sabater (RISD BFA 2025, Film/Animation/Video), 2023 Mellon Intern in School and Teacher Programs, developed and produced the audio components in collaboration with Mariani Lefas-Tetenes, Director, School and Teacher Programs and Jeremy Radtke, Director, Digital Initiatives. We thank Jordan Seaberry for his enthusiastic contribution and support for this civics-focused project.