Pharaoh’s Army Got Drowned, fresco, 1941, 41 ¾” x 61”
1.Play Paul Robeson singing “Go Down Moses” for your students to hear. Ask them to consider this painting as it relates to the song. Or do they think it relates to the song?
2.Tell your students the history of this piece: This fresco is revolutionary because it was the first piece of art bequeathed to a Black church as a gift from a White artist. This piece was given to the Copperville Church, in Easton Maryland. It was created by the artist in honor of a fearless soldier who proudly died in war. The soldier, Private Norman E. Wilson, was the son of Reverend Wilson at Copperville Church, who is likely the man lifting his arm up to the light. The fallen soldier, Private Wilson, is likely the angel on the right hand side of this piece. As you might have noticed, a body of water surrounds the people in the fresco. It represents the Red Sea. The parting of the Red Sea was a symbol for Black freedom and release from oppression just as it was for the Israelites. The congregation of people are members of the Copperville Church. The power behind this piece is significant.
3. Ask your students to locate the Demon. After having heard the explanation about the piece, have them write (give them an appropriate time) what they think the Demon is doing or is being done to him? In the more modern setting (1951), who could the Demon represent other than a Pharaoh? Have students share what they have written with the class.
4. Express to your students that for many Black people at the time Heaven represented a world of freedom beyond the constraints of segregation. They believed that even though their lives on Earth had been full of hardship, their time in Heaven was going to be full of all the good things they had always wanted, so the idea of going to Heaven was a cause for joy. Therefore they might be sad that the young soldier died, but jubilant that he went to Heaven.
5. Discuss situations in history where an oppressed people have been released from bondage and how this works into modern equal rights.
6. Here are some choices of activities for students:
-Have students research a variety of topics on situations where a group of people were oppressed.
-Have students research a variety of topics about equal rights.
-Have students create a poem about oppression/equality.
-Have students create a piece of art about oppression/equality.
-Have students write about the significance, in 1941, of a White artist creating art for a Black church.
MD State Standards
CCSS.W.6.2/W.7.2/W/8/2
Music: Cn11:E:3-5:1/Cn11:E:6-8:1/Cn10:I:3-5:3/Cn10:I:6-8:3
Art: Cr2:E:3:3-5:2/Cr2:E:6-8:2
W.3.1/W.4.1/W.5.1&W.6.3/W.7.3/W.8.3