Jim Crow 1986

This untitled painting was made by Jean-Michel Basquiat, though we don't know exactly when. It's a powerful piece, engaging directly with the history of racial segregation in the United States. Basquiat confronts us with the legacy of "Jim Crow," the set of laws and customs that enforced racial segregation in the Southern states. He presents a stark, haunting figure, its features obscured, looming over the word "Mississippi," repeatedly written to emphasize the state's role in this history. The rivers, Hudson, Ohio, Thames, and Mississippi, painted over white planks, may speak to the widespread nature of historical, geographical and cultural segregation. Basquiat's work doesn't shy away from challenging the viewer. Through a combination of visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations, Basquiat forces us to confront the uncomfortable realities of the past and reflect on their continued relevance in contemporary society. The role of the historian here involves not just analyzing the image itself, but researching the social and political context in which it was created.