And We'll Contiue to Fight for Liberty! 

This artwork by Charles Alston depicts the iconic scene of Washington crossing the Delaware River, a pivotal moment of the American Revolution. The stark inclusion of the phrase ‘A Negro Crossed the Delaware with George Washington’ alongside the caption “and we’ll continue to fight for liberty!” introduces a profound commentary on the complexities of liberty and equality in the American narrative. The act of crossing, a motif seen throughout history, from the River Styx to the Red Sea, symbolizes transition, risk, and the crossing of boundaries into a new reality. Here, Alston uses the image of the river crossing to evoke the historical presence—and erasure—of African Americans in the fight for American liberty. The visual language used here—the boat, the flag, and the act of crossing—engages our collective memory, stirring deep subconscious associations. It becomes a powerful statement on the ongoing struggle for African Americans to realize the promise of liberty, a struggle perpetually crossing new, turbulent waters.