Girl in Blue with Turban--Deborah 1940

William H. Johnson painted "Girl in Blue with Turban--Deborah" using oil on paperboard. Johnson, born in South Carolina, lived through the rise of the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement. The portrait vibrates with identity, depicting a young Black woman adorned with a vibrant turban and a striking blue suit. Johnson's flat, bold style rejects traditional portraiture in favor of direct and expressive forms. This piece confronts the historical absence and misrepresentation of Black figures in art. The turban, often associated with exoticism, is here reclaimed as a symbol of cultural pride and individuality. The bright colors might be seen as an assertive statement against the backdrop of racial prejudice and discrimination prevalent during Johnson’s time. In her gaze, we find an intimate challenge to prevailing societal norms, emphasizing the importance of self-representation and the assertion of identity in a world that often seeks to erase it.