Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 1943

Ruth Starr Rose created this lithograph, titled "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," during a time of significant social and racial tension in the United States. Rose, a white artist, was deeply engaged with the African American community of her area and sought to represent their experiences through her art. Here, the print visualizes the anguish expressed in the spiritual of the same name. A Black figure is beset by devils, one carrying scales of injustice, reaching toward a radiant vision of salvation. The composition poignantly captures the historical and ongoing struggles of Black individuals, reflecting themes of abandonment, resilience, and hope. The emotional weight of the print is palpable, inviting reflection on the systemic forces that perpetuate feelings of displacement and the enduring quest for spiritual solace. Rose develops an alternative narrative, using religious imagery to symbolize both oppression and the promise of liberation.