“The Commerce of Nations Rendering Homage to Liberty”- Edward Moran 1876
On a bitter cold Tuesday afternoon, I left Winona State campus and headed toward the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. It’s fair to say I had prematurely judged my visit to the museum, as ignorant thoughts about art being boring, and unexciting overtook my mentality. By the time I removed the remaining chunks of ice from my windshield, I got behind the wheel, and drove. About 30 seconds into the drive, Jay Z’s song “The Story of O.J” came thumping through the speakers. The story of OJ addresses the historical perspective of what it has meant to be a black person in America, regardless of education, wealth or socioeconomic status.
When I pulled up to the museum, the song was fading to an end. I raced inside to escape the cold, and was greeted by two women at the front desk. I slowly made my way through the galleries. I was beginning to lose hope, that I wouldn’t find a painting that interested me. I soon stumbled across the workings of Edward Moran. Edward Moran is responsible for painting the “Commerce of Nations Rendering Homage to Liberty” painted in 1876. It was not until 1876 when Moran met a French sculptor who disclosed of his plans to design a monumental statue in New York. This eventually sparked the idea of Moran painting The Commerce of Nations Rendering Homage to Liberty”.
The substantial size of the painting surrounded by its frame lured me toward the canvas. What I saw was absolutely astonishing, and as I examined the portrait, I saw people of different backgrounds, sailing on ships, proudly hoisting their home country’s flag, all while being welcomed by the Statue of Liberty. I soon felt sorrow as I thought to myself “what about my ancestors”. As I examined this painting I realized, for many people, it’s easy to look at this picture and admire its beauty and moral, while synchronously overlooking the black perspective of American history.
The “Commerce of Nations Rendering Homage to Liberty” was unveiled in October of 1886, and depicts an image of immigrants coming to the new world, paying respect to the statue that uphold the virtues of America. I began to wonder what my ancestors would think viewing this painting, as the idea of voluntarily immigrating to the United States was never applied to them. I became curious how a statue that symbolizes liberty, in a country that preaches freedom, could proudly present a statue of that essence, after enslaving a group of people for centuries. The idea lingered in my mind that immigrant coming into the US from European countries were granted civil liberties upon arrival. Yet, immigrants who were brought here involuntarily, would have to fight for the rights this country was founded on. Lyrics from “The Story of OJ” would often fill my head as I thought about my perspective on this painting. Jay Z argues in his song that throughout history, African Americans have never escaped the ugly reality of being viewed as the N word before being seen as human. The idea of African Americans being seen as blacks first, and people second, is exactly what prohibited them from relishing in the ideals this country values generations beyond slavery.
When I finally made it home, I watched the music video to “The Story of OJ”. The entire video portrays Africans Americans in the in the same slanderous ways that justified their enslavement, and defended segregation. The image of blacks being presented as animals, rather than people exculpates reason to treat them as second-class citizens. Soon, the beat dropped, and Jay Z starts rhyming . “Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga, rich nigga poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga. Still nigga.” These words immediately had me thinking about Moran’s work. Although “The Commerce of Nations Homage to Liberty” doesn’t illustrate slavery, racism or the use of the N word. It focuses on a time, where immigrants are celebrating liberty and freedom, yet denying unalienable rights to African Americans for many generations to come. I began thinking how Moran’s motive was to create a picture that accurately displays Auguste Bartholdi’s impression of America. Bartholdi was a French sculptor who planned to design the statue for America. A statue that would be a beacon for liberty. Although the statue was designed to commemorate freedom within the US, this idea of the nation’s values was never applied to African Americans seeking liberty, as being recognized as black before human, was an ongoing issue.
I began thinking about how many people across the globe, view America as the land of opportunities. That a person regardless of race, religion or sex can make anything they want of themselves. This belief stems from the Statue of Liberty, as the promise of freedom and liberty embody Bartholdi’s design. The Story of OJ was written, in response to OJ Simpson who once said he was happy a woman thought he “wasn’t black”. According to ESPN analyst Robert Lipste, Simpson overheard a white woman at a neighboring table say “Look, there’s OJ sitting with all those niggers”. When asked how he felt on the situation, he said he felt great, that she didn’t see him as black, only as OJ. It wasn’t until I understood this story, when I started to fully understand the overall message of this song.
I started thinking about Jay Z’s second verse, where he discusses financial freedom, and how to secure wealth longevity. He supports his message with lines like, “I bought some artwork for one million. Two years later that shit worth two million, Few years later that shit worth eight million. I can’t wait to give this shit to my children.” His message informs listeners that money is only important if it lasts. Generating money longevity means you’re able to pass it down to your children securing their financial stability. This verse was eventually followed by the opening line, reverting back to the original message. That regardless if you’re rich, poor, free or enslaved, in the eyes of a racist person you are still black. I realized this was message Jay Z was educating to OJ Simpson. That although he has prospered in this country, his wealth does not escape him from being viewed as black.
Overall, I think the connections made between Moran’s “The Commerce of Nation’s Homage to Liberty” and “The Story of OJ” by Jay Z, example how African Americans may have a different interpretation of American history. A history that effects the way people like myself interpret well intentioned paintings like Edward Moran’s. Moran’s painting clearly advocates for immigration. However, the action of slavery then discrimination displayed for generations after the unveil of the Statue of Liberty can unfortunately make way for controversy when providing context to this image.
Sources
JAY Z- The Story of OJ. (2017, June 30). Retrieved from https://genius.com/Jay-z-the-story-of-oj-lyrics
Miller, C. (2013, June 27). Unveiling the Statue of Liberty by Edward Moran. Retrieved from https://www.whatsoproudlywehail.org/curriculum/the-american-calandar/unveiling-the-staute-of-liberty-by-edward-moran
Boyle, K. (2018, December 17). Jay-Z Song “The Story Of O.J”. Retrieved from https://www.elitedaily.com
