ExhibitionTimelineTriviaClassroom Resources

Elizabeth Catlett, Black Unity, 1968, cedar, 21 x 12 1/2 x 23 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2014.11. © Estate of Elizabeth Catlett / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Photography by Edward C. Robison III.

Justice

I have always wanted my art to service my people - to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential. We have to create an art for liberation and for life.

–Elizabeth Catlett

Classroom Image Set and Discussion Prompts

Justice Image Set
(.ppt 2.1MB)

Additional Teaching Resources

Civil Rights Unit
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iCivics

Justice for All
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Bill of Rights Institute

How Jourdon Anderson Understood Justice
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Bill of Rights Institute

We the People
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-12
National Archives

The 14th Amendment: Battles for Freedom and Equality
National Constitution Center

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum

The US Constitution speaks directly about establishing justice “in Order to form a more perfect Union.” What did the idea of justice mean to the framers of the Constitution, and how has that notion changed in the twenty-first century?

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

–Martin Luther King Jr.

Throughout American history, artists have been agents of change for justice and equity. The very process of engaging with a work of art encourages viewers to slow down, look closely, and raise critical consciousness in order to make meaning. Reflecting on what we see or don’t see in our daily lives allows us to imagine new realities and worldviews. Art can be an act of advocacy, gathering people together around an idea and empowering them to be change-makers.

In this collection, you will find artworks that:

  • address injustices based on individual or group characteristics, such as gender, race, religion, and sexuality
  • reflect on our developments as a society by recognizing the challenges from the past and envisioning a better tomorrow
  • bring about social change through deep and emotional connections as part of an artist’s social practice 

Explore the ways American art addresses justice through the questions and artworks below.

How does art bring attention to social justice issues?
Can works of art drive viewers to take action? How?
Who determines what is just? Does justice look the same to everyone?
When have you experienced injustice or unfair treatment?

Content Contributors

Exhibition sponsored by Kenneth C. Griffin

Learning and engagement programming for
We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy is sponsored by:

Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. Foundation | Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates, & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. | Johnny and Jeanie Morris, Bass Pro Shops | Alturas Foundation | Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc. | Sotheby’s | Bob and Becky Alexander | Marybeth and Micky Mayfield | Lamar and Shari Steiger | Jeff and Sarah Teague / Citizens Bank | Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities | Avis and Bill Bailey | Scarlett and Neff Basore | June Carter Family | Terri and Chuck Erwin | Jackye and Curtis Finch | The Harrison and Rhonda French Family | Jim and Susan von Gremp | Laurice Hachem | Shannon and Charles Holley | Valorie and Randy Lawson / Lawco Energy Group | Donna and Mack McLarty | Steve and Susan Nelson | Neal and Gina Pendergraft | Helen Porter | JT and Imelda Rose | Lee and Linda Scott | Stella Boyle Smith Trust, Catherine and Michael Mayton, Trustees | William Reese Company

© 2022 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art