Rare inscribed first edition of Lawrence's first children's book, an important turning point in historical African-American representation in children's books.
Near fine in very good plus jacket.
Price: $2,500.00
"Bold, strong, and ugly, as slavery is ugly" – Appiah & Gates
Lawrence's illustrated biography of Harriet Tubman is a major contribution to children's literature, handling with beauty and finesse the controversial question of how to teach the young about historical atrocities. It was a "precursor of the African American picture storybook [...] the first major picture book by an African American published by a mainstream press in the 1960s" (Bishop). Lawrence did the artwork for this masterpiece and the text was added to fit. Copies of this work are exceptionally scarce signed by him. A terrific, stunning work.
Read more: Appiah and Gates Jr., Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience (vol 3); Bishop, Free Within Ourselves: The Development of African American Children's Literature.
First printing. New York: Simon & Schuster, (1968). 12.25'' x 9.25''. Original full yellow cloth lettered in black. In original unclipped ($5.95) color pictorial dust jacket. Illustrated in color by Lawrence. [32] pages. Inscribed by Lawrence in blue ink to verso of front fly leaf: "To E___ G____ / Wishing you great success / In your career / Jacob Lawrence 1969." Jacket with a couple short closed tears, faint rubbing. Some toning to front endpapers, else exceptionally bright and crisp.
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