John Biggers
The Garbage Man

• What is the man in this painting doing? What do you think is his story?
• Try to take the pose of this man. What do you think his expression and body language tell us about him?

John Biggers frequently drew inspiration from the people in his community. In The Garbage Man, blunt imagery and bright, contrasting colors create a powerful statement on the deplorable conditions for many African Americans who migrated to northern cities during the Jim Crow era. The distorted proportions of the hunched figure, who is gathering discarded food in his cart, suggest the tolling repercussions of poverty and loneliness that weigh on people living on American streets.

• This work of art tells the story of the Great Migration of African Americans to northern cities to try to escape Jim Crow laws.  Do you think that this man is treated as an equal to white men in his community?  What is evidence of his treatment?
• Where do you think this man lives?  Many people in America experience homelessness.  What policy changes - at the local, state, and/or federal level - are needed to reduce homelessness?  Do all Americans have an equal right to shelter?