Carolina Morning 1974

Romare Bearden’s “Carolina Morning” is a collage of paper and paint that evokes the textures and rhythms of Black life in the rural South. Bearden, who came of age during the Harlem Renaissance, often turned to his Southern roots for inspiration. Here, a Black woman is depicted holding a child, gazing out as though guarding a deep history. Her headwrap is adorned with symbols, perhaps alluding to a hidden language, while behind her we see the blurred figures of field workers. Bearden once stated that he hoped his work would “...establish a world of art that would reveal the lives of my people as I knew them.” His collages create a space where the narratives of the Black community take center stage, challenging stereotypical representations and celebrating the nuances of identity and place. “Carolina Morning” captures not just a visual scene, but the emotional and cultural landscape of a people.