Artist

William Arthur Cooper

born Hillsboro, NC 1895-died St. Louis, MO 1974
Also known as
  • William Cooper
  • Rev. William Arthur Cooper
Born
Hillsboro, North Carolina, United States
Died
St. Louis, Missouri,
Active in
  • St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Related Books

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1934: A New Deal for Artists
During the Great Depression, president Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised a “new deal for the American people,” initiating government programs to foster economic recovery. Roosevelt’s pledge to help “the forgotten man” also embraced America’s artists. The Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) enlisted artists to capture “the American Scene” in works of art that would embellish public buildings across the country. Although it lasted less than one year, from December 1933 to June 1934, the PWAP provided employment for thousands of artists, giving them an important role in the country’s recovery. Their legacy, captured in more than fifteen thousand artworks, helped “the American Scene” become America seen.