Art Inspired by Sheyann Webb
Artist: Cameron C.
Sheyann Webb was only 8 years old when she found herself in the Brown’s Chapel AME Church, where she committed herself to the Civil Rights Voting movement in Selma, Alabama, and walked in the famous 1965 march “Bloody Sunday”. Since her meeting at the chapel, Sheyann made it her personal mission to be a part of the movement that fought for African Americans’ right to vote. Throughout these marches, she inspired her teachers at the time to stand up for what they believed in and to join the marches without fear of being fired. I find Sheyann’s drive inspiring, because despite the fears she faced, she continued to participate in the three Selma Marches, ultimately inspiring thousands of teachers and other citizens to take the same actions as she did. She has continued representing this movement through adulthood by traveling around the country to share her story with children.
In my piece, I chose to use acrylic as my medium to match Sheyann’s bold ability to fight for what she believed, despite the warnings and threats she received. I divided the sky into two sections with corresponding silhouettes to represent the dark times she faced at such a young age, and to show her continuous dedication to the movement after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 was passed. I also added the Edmund Pettus Bridge to symbolize where all the marches took place. Finally, the three birds are Sheyann’s main supporters of her participation the fight for African American voting rights; these people are Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and her best friend, Rachel West.
Artist: Cameron C.
Sheyann Webb was only 8 years old when she found herself in the Brown’s Chapel AME Church, where she committed herself to the Civil Rights Voting movement in Selma, Alabama, and walked in the famous 1965 march “Bloody Sunday”. Since her meeting at the chapel, Sheyann made it her personal mission to be a part of the movement that fought for African Americans’ right to vote. Throughout these marches, she inspired her teachers at the time to stand up for what they believed in and to join the marches without fear of being fired. I find Sheyann’s drive inspiring, because despite the fears she faced, she continued to participate in the three Selma Marches, ultimately inspiring thousands of teachers and other citizens to take the same actions as she did. She has continued representing this movement through adulthood by traveling around the country to share her story with children.
In my piece, I chose to use acrylic as my medium to match Sheyann’s bold ability to fight for what she believed, despite the warnings and threats she received. I divided the sky into two sections with corresponding silhouettes to represent the dark times she faced at such a young age, and to show her continuous dedication to the movement after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 was passed. I also added the Edmund Pettus Bridge to symbolize where all the marches took place. Finally, the three birds are Sheyann’s main supporters of her participation the fight for African American voting rights; these people are Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and her best friend, Rachel West.