American Historical Ephemera & Photography, including African Americana

Original artwork, approx. 18 x 14 in., acrylic on canvas board.

Painting features an image of a bearded man identified as "John Brown / son of an underground / station master" next to a message in the form of one of the Civil War's most famous broadsides for the recruitment of African American soldiers: "Men of Color / To Arms! To Arms! / Now or Never / Three Years Service!" As with other Owens works, handwritten text on verso provides additional context from the artist. Verso reads, in part: "Taking up arms to free slaves seemed the only solution to single minded abolitionists like John Brown; whose portrait was painted by Black carftsman-artist [sic] David Bustill Bow[s]er, with whom he sometime stayed in Philadelphia....Black abolitionists in Philadelphia sponsored this recruitment poster to raise Union forces that eventually counted more than 8,000 Blacks. Regiments were not permitted to march in the city's welcome home parade at war's end...."

Signed lower right ("C.Owens."), though signature is not an exact match with Owens's other signed works which are more typically signed "C.A Owens." However, reverse manuscript description does appear to be in the hand of Owens suggesting that the work is likely his creation.

Born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1922 to an opera singer and saxophone player, Charles A. "Charlie" Owens was recognized for his own artistic talent at an early age. He moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1949, where he was a contemporary of Elijah Pierce and William Hawkins. Today, he is most well-known for his folk art paintings and depictions associated with African American life and culture.