About the Sculpture

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which includes both the Legion of Honor and the de Young Museums, is showcasing Elizabeth Catlett’s bronze bust titled “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” This installation opens to the public starting Saturday, January 18.

Created during a national competition organized by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1984-85, Catlett’s work aimed to commemorate King as the first African American to be honored in a portrait within the United States Capitol. Catlett, a renowned Black modernist artist, was one of three finalists vying for this distinguished commission.

The Artistic Vision

Timothy Anglin Burgard, the distinguished senior curator at FAMSF, alongside Ednah Root, curator in charge of American art, highlighted that unattributed comments from the judging committee praised Catlett’s bust as “the most powerful presentation of Dr. King” among the candidates. The judges noted her slight exaggeration of King’s features was intended to encapsulate his strength and determination during a challenging phase of his life.

Despite this acclaim, the commission ultimately went to John Wilson, whose bust currently resides in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Burgard suggests that perceptions surrounding Catlett’s past—including her renunciation of American citizenship during the Communist investigations of the 1950s—might have influenced the decision against her work.

Elizabeth Catlett’s Legacy

Catlett (1915-2012) dedicated her career to advocating for the rights of Black individuals, women, and workers. Thomas P. Campbell, CEO and Director of FAMSF, recognized her as one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. He emphasized the importance of adding Catlett’s bust to the collection, noting it enhances conversations around King’s lasting influence on American culture and the nuances of public art representation.

This bust was acquired using the Barbro Osher Sculpture Garden Acquisition Fund and purchased from the collection of the late Rev. Douglas E. Moore and his wife, Doris Hughes-Moore, notable figures in civil rights activism.

Contextual Display

The bust will be exhibited alongside significant pieces, including Jack Levine’s 1963 painting “Birmingham ’63,” which reflects the protests that King and other civil rights activists orchestrated in Alabama, and Catlett’s own 1947 linoleum print, “I’m Sojourner Truth I Fought for the Rights of Women as Well as Blacks.” Additionally, another of Catlett’s works, the mahogany sculpture “Stepping Out,” will also be on permanent display at the de Young Museum.

Commemorating Economic Justice

Abram Jackson, the museum’s Director of Interpretation, explained that the museum engaged with community partners to refine the description of Catlett’s bust. They aimed to emphasize Dr. King’s commitment to economic justice, an often overlooked aspect of his legacy that remains relevant today.

“Our focus is not just remembering the iconic speeches but also highlighting the intersection of economic justice with race—an essential narrative that should resonate now as powerfully as it did during King’s lifetime,” stated Jackson.