Civil Rights

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kennedy Brothers

by Elijah Pierce

Later in his career, Elijah Pierce was visibly influenced by popular culture and current events in his art. The idea for this work came from a print depicting Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy Jr. that hung in Pierce’s home.

However, Pierce enhanced the work by adding a patriotic color scheme and three gold stars above each of the men’s heads. Knowing that each of the American leaders was assassinated, what might the gold stars symbolize? Why are the men looking upward?