ARTS
“We Shall‌â€? Encourages Mississippians to Unify at the Polls by Torsheta Jackson
A
COURTESY SABRINA HOWARD
rtist Sabrina Howard stands proudly by a brightly cally Black college or university including Tougaloo Col- youth of those historically black colleges coming together painted mural. Her thoughts turn to her father lege, Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, Rust and lifting their voices to stand for voting rights.â€? A joint venture between the Greater Jackson Arts who often told her stories of how he faced numer- College, Mississippi Valley State University, and Grambling Council, Visit Jackson and the Human Rights ous practices and tests designed to keep Campaign commissioned the artwork from six him from registering to vote. local artists. The series, titled “#ArtofVoting,â€? fea“His fight continued, and once registered, he tures six murals which—as described on organizer never missed an election or voting opportunity,â€? Eli Childers’ Instagram page—are designed to “enshe says. “My father has always made voting a pricourage, remind, and celebrate the act of making ority and stressed the importance of it.â€? your voice heard at the ballot box.â€? Her latest mural “We Shall‌â€? honors HowHoward believes that the piece speaks to colard’s father and the many others whose determinalege-age voters on a deeper level. tion helped change the voting landscape. “I hope that this piece reaches the students to The piece features seven men and women of show that it’s not about where you are or what colcolor with the interlocked arms commonly seen lege you attend. It’s not a competitive thing,â€? she during the Civil Rights Movement. says. “Voting is a unifier. We have the opportunity Their mouths are open in song, and the words to lift our voices through those ballots.â€? “We shall VOTEâ€? appear against the bright yellow Howard’s mural was installed at Alcorn State background. The spiritual song “We Shall OverUniversity just days before the November 2020 come,â€? often sung during civil-rights protests in election. The other five murals are installed at Mississippi and other southern states, inspired both Sabrina Howard poses with her “We Shall‌â€? mural, which is one of six murals included in the local “#ArtofVotingâ€? series. Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, the the text and imagery displayed in the artwork. Jackson Medical Mall, Methodist Rehabilitation “I replaced the word ‘overcome’ with ‘vote’ Center and the Mississippi Arts Center. In January, the six because in a way, as is happening now, because of people State University across the state. voting there are situations and elections that are going to be “During the Civil Rights Movement, there were a lot murals will be installed in a group display in the metro beovercome by an overwhelming voice,â€? Howard says. of young college students that were heading up the marches fore being placed in their respective permanent locations. Learn more about Howard’s art at sabrinahoward.com. The figures each wear a shirt representing a histori- and participating,â€? Howard says. “(The mural) shows the
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