Carol Jacobsen
Empowering Change Through Creative Expression
Welcome to the official site of Carol Jacobsen, artist, author, and speaker. Through vivid portraits and powerful narrative, Carol celebrates Black women whose contributions to history have been overlooked. Her Women of Color and Accomplishment series serves as a platform for education, inspiration, and social justice.
The Art: the Women of Color and Accomplishment series
This ongoing portrait series features vibrant images of over 100 inspiring African American women. Each portrait is paired with a short biography that highlights their courage, achievements, and enduring impact on society.
Josephine Baker
Not just an amazing performer, Ms. Baker appears here with her medal from the French Resistence for her role as a spy in WWII
Diane Nash
Ms. Nash was a powerful figure in the civil rights movement in the 1960s. She was a founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Constance Motley
A lawyer with the NAACP, Ms. Motley played a pivotal role in the fight to end racial segregation and was the first Black woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court.
See more of the women and their bios.
The Books
Doing the Right Thing
Published in 2024, this book continues showcasing historical women who overcame barriers of race and gender to achieve their dreams. But it also contains stories and portraits of current women, to remind us that the struggle continues.
Fighting for Equality
After taking a course in African American History at the College of Marin, Ms. Jacobsen was able to see the big picture of how the individual women fit in the struggle for civil and women’s rights. This volume has a timeline of the major events in the struggle, from the first slave ship to the most recent civil rights laws.
Women of Color and Accomplishment
The first book in the series, published in 2021 was inspired by the murder of George Floyd. Ms. Jacobsen used her skills as an artist to bring attention to the achievements of Black women overlooked by the history books. After painting 31 portraits, she created this book.
Art Exhibits and Talks
Next Art Exhibit - September 1-October 31, 2025
Learn more about the upcoming exhibit with will be sponsored by Canvas & Courage. And check out Carol Jacobsen’s prior shows.
Next Talk October, 2025, San Rafael, CA
Next Talk October, 2025, San Rafael, CA
Find links to prior talks on YouTube. And get the details of the talks and event surrounding her show this fall which will pair Carol Jacobsen’s portraits with colored pages completed by elementary school children using Women of Color and Accomplishment Coloring Book 1.