LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty University Art Museum is holding an art exhibit in honor of abolitionists Frederick Douglass and John Brown throughout the month of February.
The lead artist and editor of the project, Dr. Barron Bell, said the goal of the comic book is to "demonstrate how Douglass and Brown worked to end slavery in America and to tell the story in a way that doesn’t compromise historical accuracy while keeping readers intrigued."
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“We want to weave a narrative that’s very dramatic, very exciting, and very action packed while also integrating well-researched historical facts. We are telling a very credible historical narrative that involved two Christian men who were coming at anti-slavery and the abolishment of slavery from two completely different perspectives: the pen versus the sword.”
Dr. Barron Bell, professor for the Department of Studio & Digital Arts at Liberty University.
The book is titled “Sound of the Trumpet,” and it outlines the relationship between Frederick Douglass and John Brown, two historical abolitionists who lived in the 1800s.
“A lot of kids won’t normally read, but they’ll read a comic. With a comic, while it is reading, it’s more like experiencing the story. Our current culture is very visual-based, and so graphic novels and comics meet a nice little middle ground where you can engage a kid visually because it’s cool and it’s colorful.”
Dr. Barron Bell, professor for the Department of Studio & Digital Arts at Liberty University.
The novel is set to be 100 pages and is still in production, but 15 pages are currently available for viewing at the Liberty University Art Museum, as well as additional information about the author and more behind-the-scenes work.
“What I ultimately want visitors to get out of this exhibit is the ability to feel history, to actually uncover things that a lot of people have long forgotten or had never really heard of. I also want conversations to begin about this hard part of history. I want people to understand that they have to get the whole story.
There were good people who existed during this time period, and there were bad people. ... Let’s talk about the objective truth, and let’s talk about it from God’s standpoint. How do we all fit into this story? How do we talk about this together in a healthy and productive way? This can help those conversations.”
Dr. Barron Bell, professor for the Department of Studio & Digital Arts at Liberty University.
For more information on the exhibit, click here.