Sojourner Truth

She was born into slavery, in Ulster County NY, but would channel her faith towards abolishing America’s original sin. With a name like Sojourner Truth, she had be a badass, right?

Thanks for viewing. You can check out more fun map drawing on my website. 

Muhammad Ali

At a recent artist reception, a lovely woman aproached me and expressed how much she liked a portrait I’d drawn of Muhammad Ali. Unfortunately, it had already sold, so she commissioned me to draw this new one. I must say, it’s always daunting to draw a legend. The original drawing, a tiny piece, is below.

Rosa Parks

From a bus stop in Montgomery, she propelled the civil rights movement light-years forward.  

Signed prints of this piece are available here (in my Etsy shop).

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Shirley Chisholm

Before Hillary Clinton, and before Barack Obama, there was Shirley Chisholm. This African-American congresswoman ran for the US presidency in 1972.  Along with Jesse Jackson, She helped break down racial and gender barriers for future candidates on the road to the White House. A special thanks to art director, Christa Tubach at UConn magazine for this timely assignment!

You can view my new illustration website here!

Rosa Parks

I just completed over fifty drawings for textbooks geared towards giving 4th and 5th graders more courage to write.  I illustrated essays by variety of fascinating people, from former Secretary of State, Condeleeza Rice - to the astronaut who fixed the Hubble Telescope. My favorite essay was by Rosa Parks, who's crime of sitting in the wrong seat on a bus became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement. As in the picture above (of Rosa Parks' childhood home), these drawings depict pivotal places (and moments) which helped define who she was.

As a child in the 1920's, Rosa attended a wooden schoolhouse.

White children were bussed to far nicer schools

White students used to throw trash at Rosa and classmates as they walked to school.

During segregation, African-Americans were required to enter and stay in the back of the bus.

My depiction of the seating chart for the bus Rosa Parks was arrested on.

From Rosa Parks' perspective, a view of her bus driver with police officers.

From Rosa Parks perspective, after her arrest. The officers were very respectful towards her.

A special thanks to art director Carmela Stricklett at Amplify, 

who helped guide me through this massive (but very fun) project.

You can view my new illustration website here!

"Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others."

~ Rosa Parks