Date of Award
3-21-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
First Advisor
Charles Romney
Abstract
The 1930s was a decade of change throughout America. The Great Depression affected all citizens. Joblessness spread like a plague, affecting rich and poor alike. The nation turned to federally funded work programs for its very survival. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) kept Americans working. Many projects centered on building infrastructure, but artists, writers, and historians also created culturally relevant projects to inspire and entertain the masses. The WPA spawned a movement of left leaning individuals who used art to create works protesting the ills of society. Common themes included joblessness, homelessness, and lynching in America. Joe Jones, a St. Louis, Missouri painter, embodied this spirit of protest. He painted to inspire action. His mural at Commonwealth College entitled &ldquo"Cotton, Coal, & Lynching: The Industries of Arkansas"&rdquo was inspired by sights and images around the state during the 1930s. Jones envisioned that his mural would change the world.
Recommended Citation
Riley, Sarita N., "Coal, Cotton, & Lynching: Labor and Art in Arkansas" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 401.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/401
