Walking

Object Details

Created by

Charles Henry Alston, American, 1907 - 1977

Caption

“The idea of a march was growing. . . . It was in the air . . . and this painting just came. I called it Walking on purpose. It wasn’t the militancy that you saw later. It was a very definite walk—not going back, no hesitation.” – Charles Alston

Charles Alston painted Walking two years after the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The Alabama boycott’s success influenced the political and social protests of the 1960s, including the 1963 March on Washington.

The flattened planes of color and sculptural forms were inspired by Alston’s interest in African sculpture and European modernism. This approach adds weight and power to the figures, suggesting the important but often overlooked role that women played as leaders, participants, and critical contributors to the success of the Civil Rights Movement.

Description

This colorful, modernist painting depicts women and a young girl walking in front of a long line of others. The figures move out of a shadowy background on the left, towards the light, emanating from the upper right corner. The line appears to be moving forwards, out of the picture plane. The women leading the line step forward strongly to the viewer's right; their leg movements are delineated by the columns of strongly contrasting light and shadow of their long skirts. The leading woman's face is upturned towards the light. Next to and slightly behind her a second female figure, with forward facing gaze, has her right arm around a much smaller female figure. This child figure moves with the line but turns her head to face the viewer, hands folded at the waist. Directly behind them is another female figure carrying a swathed infant. There are several isolated individuals outside the orderly grouping of the line. The line is the focus of their gaze; the nearest individual turns her back on the viewer as she focuses on the line.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sydney Smith Gordon

1958

Object number

2007.2

Restrictions & Rights

© Charles Alston Estate

Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

oil paintings

Medium

oil paint and gesso on canvas

Dimensions

H x W (framed): 48 1/2 × 64 5/8 × 1 1/4 in. (123.2 × 164.1 × 3.2 cm)

H x W (unframed): 48 × 64 in. (121.9 × 162.6 cm)

Place depicted

Alabama, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Visual Arts

Movement

Civil Rights Movement

Exhibition

Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 052

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Activism

Art

Children

Civil Rights

Resistance

U.S. History, 1953-1961

Women

Record ID

nmaahc_2007.2

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd51f3f6167-623c-42f4-b3fb-70acebf81c81