All God’s Chilluns got Shoes
1943
Black-and-white lithograph
9 ¾” x 13” plate
Both the black-and-white and color lithographic version of the spiritual “Golden Slippers”—titled All God’s Chilluns Got Shoes—is a visualization of the promise of the “gospel trail,” which ultimately leads to the golden stairs of Heaven. In the composition, a large angel in the forefront bestows golden slippers upon a man ascending from a humble ladder onto vibrant golden steps and into the afterlife. Those already on the golden staircase joyfully climb upward. Heaven was a cherished reality for the black population of the Eastern Shore; it was a place where “every single one of God’s children could soar with new shoes on their feet,” so wrote the artist in her notes.
The artist also recognized the earthly origins of the spiritual. When she presented this lithograph to her erudite peers at the Serigraphy Society, she emphasized how black people have nobly climbed their own ladder of success, despite their extreme historical disadvantages. Her speech notes refer back to days of slavery on the Eastern Shore, a time when shoes were not only a rarity but also a status symbol. In other words, in the economically driven United States, wealth and success—here embodied in the luxury of shoes—were the trappings of a better and more equal life.
In typical fashion, she worked extensively with this theme and made black-and-white and color lithographs, as well as a serigraph. Her study sketches and notes support her desire to perfect the message according to the congregation’s wishes. Her efforts were rewarded when All God’s Chilluns Got Shoes was honored as the American Color Print Society’s Image for 1947. It is incredible to view the notes, studies, and all of the color proofs for this six-color print.