Robert Colescott

Miss Liberty

Robert Colescott is best known for his satirical perspectives of American history and visual culture. His bold style and use of vivid colors contribute to a retelling of a Euro-American history. The central figure in Miss Liberty stands before a map of the United States, classically posed amid pink clouds and littered trash.

Colescott's Miss Liberty wears similar attire to the nation's symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty; also known as Lady Liberty. She smiles as she ascends the terrestrial boundaries of the United States. Three years after the artist produced this image, singer Vanessa Williams became the first Black woman to win the Miss America title. In subverting expectations of Miss America's racial identity, Colescott's painting considers coded visual cues of nationalism and idealized beauty.