This work of acrylic and glitter on paper affixed to unstretched canvas on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is an amazing elegy to the Civil Rights Movement.  And after recently reading The Help, an emotional connection to that period of American history was top-of-mind.

You can hear what the experts at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art say about this work of art here.  To my amateur self, when I sit and stare at this piece, I see an African-American who is trying to break free of the chains that remain post-slavery as a domestic household worker who is still treated as a second-class citizen during the years of segregation and paid below minimum wage.  While there is always more we can do as human beings to be more tolerant and understanding of others, I am so thankful for the Civil Rights Movement and its key role in our evolution as a nation.

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