Florida, Protect Us! Painting

This is an experimental art piece depicting the American Indian exodus into Florida along the Apalachicola River. The vast majority of Native Americans coming into Florida were ethnically Southeastern Woodlands Tribal People but they were racially Black/African American, White, etc. This is because it was a crime, punishable by death, to be a Native American found in the state. Called "passers," these ethnic American Indians could "pass" as "White," "Black," "Black Dutch," Mulatto," or whatever other racial identity was popular and more safe at the time. To ensure safe passage, they traveled at night with a torch affixed to the bow of the boat to lead the way. Men would also use the torch light to spot and spear fish for their meals as they traveled. They left everyhting, and risked everything, in the hopes Florida, despite its hostal nature and onerous laws, would become a place of safehaven from governmental oppression. This painting is done on four feathers wrapped and beaded in four colors. These colors represent the four cardinal directions. Dance cones and deer hair tassles round out the piece. About the Artist: Ken Johnson is a Southern heritage feather painter. Feather painting is a Native American artform which was handed down to him. In 2001, Jeb Bush, Governor of the State of Florida, abolished state recognition for non-federally recognized tribes. This made it illegal for American Indian artists, from over 500 non-recognized Florida tribes, to call their work "American Indian Made" or to call themselves "Native American artists." Enraged, he quickly took up a leadership position in his tribe and started promoting his artwork as a protest to this onerous change in Florida legislation. He uses his paintings not only as a protest but also as a way to showcase causes, key concepts, social justice issues, ecological issues, history, and more.