The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art

This biography traces artist Ben Shahn’s early life in Lithuania and his move to the United States after his father was imprisoned for advocating fair pay for workers. As a Jewish immigrant, Ben was bullied and struggled with English, though his gift for drawing was recognized. He apprenticed to a lithographer at fourteen and later attended art school. Rather than paint landscapes, Shahn wanted to depict real people and their experiences, especially immigrants, prisoners, and other outsiders. His politically engaged art later brought government scrutiny.