Lydia Flood Jackson 1862 –1963

Lydia Flood Jackson fought for African American civil rights and was a champion of women’s rights. She was an active clubwoman and first legislative chair of the California State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs.  

As a political activist, she traveled to Mexico, South America and the West Indies for lectures. Jackson wanted women to question their conventional roles and the limitations of societal norms and question white male supremacy. She supported herself by investing in real estate and creating a line of beauty products.

CA state library

The process: using a photo of Lydia from the African American History Museum in Oakland and Matisse’s The Yellow Dress as inspiration.