African American artists had a tough time breaking into the art world. Benny Andrews’s pictorial tribute to his mother paid homage to her role in raising her children out of poverty, encouraging their talents, and embodying the American values that America itself ignored or denied for too long. Andrews said of his upbringing, “My mother always encouraged us to do anything creative, even though she didn’t necessarily understand what it was all about.” And Viola Andrews (d. 2006) amplified, “If we had a few pennies left over after we bought our beans and grits . . . we always bought paper or pencils or colored crayons for the children. I figured they would all be artists someday because they all enjoyed it so much.” Encouraged by his mother, Benny Andrews fashioned a career that was responsive to the history and needs of his people.