Title
Label
“Remember Them…”
Made by Michelle Erickson, Hampton, Virginia, 2020
Made of Earthenware
7.5” tall
Museum Purchase with Funds Provided by W. Groke Mickey
William Faulkner’s assertion that “the past is never dead. It’s not even past” reminds us that what happened before influences us today.
Contemporary artist Michelle Erickson shows us that our modern struggle for freedom, equality and racial justice has a long history. Erickson connects the historic image of a kneeling, shackled woman of African descent, created by 19th century anti-slavery activists; 21st century football player Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest institutional racism and the mass incarceration of African American men; and a rainbow-colored “EQUALITY” calling for LGBTQ and gender equality.