Elba Lightfoot Sites

In 1937 Elba Lightfoot completed this mural, entitled "Toy Parade," for the Harlem Hospital Center with funding from the WPA's Federal Arts Program. It was one the first major federal commissions to be awarded to African-Americans. The hospital initially rejected the commission for depicting too much African-American subject matter. The hospital commissioner reversed this decision, however, after public controversy was aroused by protest from the artists and their supporters (New York Times).