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National Museum of African Art - Smithsonian Institution

March 27, 1988

Mr. Jacob Lawrence
4316 37th Avenue, N.E.
Seattle, Washington 98105

Dear Jacob:

I enjoyed so much your visit some months ago with Gwen.

I hope your offer, that is your acceptance of my offer, to exchange a Ben Shahn seriograph of Frederick Douglass for one of your works still holds. On the assumption that it does, I am sending along by separate cover the best of the four studies that Shahn did. Eventually with many other things of mine, your work would be bequeathed most likely to Duke Ellington High School where, as I believe I told you, I am also creating a permanent gallery of African art.

If you should have a work which reflects African inspiration, that would be most welcome. I would also be very grateful if you should have any slides that I could use in my lectures on the relationship of African Art to Modern Art. One lecture of some 12 hours' worth of material is devoted to African imagery in art by Afro-Americans.

With warmest greetings.

Sincerely,

Warren M. Robbins
Founder and Director Emeritus

950 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20560
202/357-4600