Charles White paints 'There Were No Crops This Year' mural

Charles White painted 'There Were No Crops This Year' in 1940 as part of his socially committed muralist practice documenting Black labor, history, and dignity. Trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, White was a key figure in the Black Chicago Renaissance and worked with the Illinois Federal Art Project to bring Black history to public spaces. His monumental figurative style influenced generations of artists.