A Life Painted in Story: The World of Jacob Lawrence Jacob Armstead Lawrence, born September 7, 1917, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, emerged as one of the most significant American artists of the 20th century. His life story is inextricably woven into his art—a powerful narrative shaped by the realities of being African-American during a period of profound social change. Following his parents’ divorce in 1924, Lawrence experienced a ch…