A painting of Harriet Tubman was created to embolden young Black women at Bennett College. Now, it’s being sold for up to $3.5 million to help secure the future of the same Black institution it was meant to inspire. The 1931 masterpiece is just as much a valuable work of art as it is a piece of Black cultural history on the campus of Bennett College, one of only two all-women historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs).
The school’s decision to sell the painting also reflects a difficult reality facing many HBCUs: balancing the preservation of cultural legacy while facing the financial pressures of sustaining and investing in the future of Black America.
Titled “Harriet Tubman,” the painting was commissioned in 1931 by Chicago philanthropist Alfred K. Stern for Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Museum of Art. Its creator, Aaron Douglas, was a notable figure of the Harlem Renaissance, the influential cultural movement of the 1920s and 1930s that reshaped Black art, literature and cultural expression.
His depiction of Tubman goes beyond a traditional portrait most of us are familiar with. She is portrayed breaking the chains of slavery and leading others toward liberation. The surrounding imagery represents the journey from enslavement to self-determination: a man working his own land and even a young Black woman reading.
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For Bennett’s students, the message is unmistakable: freedom also meant having the power to shape your own future. But while the HBCU, founded in 1873 and dedicated in 1926, is deeply connected to the struggle for freedom and Black liberation, you might be surprised to know that the painting hasn’t been on display on campus for nearly 20 years.
The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh has kept it on loan since the 2000s because Bennett lacks the museum facilities and resources necessary to properly preserve and exhibit the artwork.
“Aaron Douglas’ Harriet Tubman reminds us of the strength and power of women, and proceeds from its sale will help to ensure a vibrant future for the institution and the students it serves,” Cassandra Jones Havard, the chair of the Board of Trustees of Bennett College, wrote in a statement to WGHP. “Although the painting has not been on campus for close to two decades, it will remain part of a rich history that we will always champion, and our hope is that the new owner will also continue to celebrate the Bennett connection.”
So, after more than two years of discussions, the college decided to put the painting up for auction through Sotheby’s in New York. The Nov. 18 sale carries an estimated value of $2.5 million to $3.5 million, WFAE reported. The proceeds will coincide with its centennial as a women’s college. It’ll also support Bennett’s future, including its Women’s Health Initiative, which addresses healthcare disparities and advances women’s health equity.
“Celebrating our Centennial as a women’s college has given us an opportunity to both acknowledge our history and look to the future,” Harvard continued.
But Bennett’s decision also shines a light on the ongoing funding challenges facing HBCUs. Many have long struggled with smaller endowments, less access to major donors and fewer resources than their predominantly white counterparts.
Yet their campuses hold treasures that tell the story of Black America, from historic documents and archives to important works of art. Letting go of something so closely tied to its history is no small move for a college like Bennett.
