Augusta Savage - Lift Every Voice and Sing (aka The Harp), 1939

A 16-foot plaster sculpture

Thursdays are dedicated to honoring artists who have passed away but whose contributions to the art world remain significant. Their impact should never be forgotten.

The Harp by Augusta Savage at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Photo: Sherman Oaks Antique Mall/Getty Images.

Augusta Savage’s 16-foot sculpture “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as “The Harp,” was a highlight for five million visitors at the World’s Fair. It symbolized African American musical contributions. Despite Savage disliking the name, the piece featured a Black man and 12 singers as harp strings, with God’s hand as the sounding board. It was commissioned for $360 and reflected Savage’s connection to James Weldon Johnson, whose eponymous poem became the NAACP’s “Black National Anthem.”

Savage dedicated two years to creating the plasterwork, lacquered to resemble black basalt—a testament to her resourcefulness amid financial constraints. While small replicas were sold, the original was demolished post-fair in 1940, a common fate for fair exhibits. This loss underscores the broader issue of Savage’s legacy, with an estimated 70 of her 160 known works missing, largely due to her inability to afford permanent casting. - Source

Currently, only smaller versions of the original piece exist.

Augusta Savage presenting a miniature of Lift Every Voice and Sing (1939) to Grover A. Whalen, president of the New York World’s Fair Corporation, 1939. Photo: Bettmann / Contributor.

Amateur film of how the piece was displayed.

Augusta Savage on the web: Searching for Augusta Savage | Full Documentary | American Masters Shorts | PBS