Obligation
- Size: 8 x 10 inch black frame with a 5 x 7 inch image, double matted
- Edition: Open edition framed print by Motivational Product Depot, ships framed and ready to hang
- Featured History: African American cotton workers in the late 1800s South
- The Message: Obligation, paired with an inspirational message that teaches and motivates
- Gift Idea: A meaningful gift for graduates, family reunions, and anyone honoring their ancestors
Your success is not only yours. It belongs to everyone who sacrificed so you could stand where you stand. Remember them, honor them, and keep climbing higher while staying true to who you are. This framed piece makes a daily reminder of the debt we pay forward.
About This Framed Print
This Obligation framed motivational print features a photograph of African American workers sorting cotton in the post-emancipation South, with a message about honoring the sacrifices of our ancestors. The image is double matted and set in a black frame, finished and ready to display.
The message printed on the poster reads:
We owe it to our ancestors and to the sacrifices they made, to continue to achieve higher goals, while maintaining our identity.
The History Behind the Image
After emancipation, most Black families in the cotton South worked as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. Under the crop-lien system, merchants and landowners advanced seed, tools, and food against the coming harvest, a system that often kept families in debt from one year to the next. Picking, ginning, and sorting cotton was family labor shared by men, women, and children. Supplier materials describe these workers as cotton separators around 1885; we describe the image more generally as late 1800s cotton labor, since the exact source and date are not documented.
About the Founder
D'azi Productions, now Motivational Product Depot, was founded by William Armstead to create motivational art with an emphasis on the African American cultural experience. His posters invite viewers of every background to learn from the past and to apply its lessons to their own goals today.
| Edition | Open Edition |
| Framed | Black Frame |
| Height | 10 inches |
| Length | 8 inches |
| Medium | Framed Poster |
| Signed | Unsigned |
| SKU | 1346 |
William Armstead
William Armstead is the founder of Motivational Product Depot, the company formerly known as D'azi Productions. His motivational posters pair thought-provoking messages with the historical people, places, and events that shaped African American culture. The collection includes historical tributes, the When I Graduate career series, and framed sets made for homes, schools, churches, and offices. Each piece is designed to motivate African Americans and to help people of every background learn about the African American experience.Most in stock items ship in 0 to 5 business depending upon the shipping method selected during checkout. Large framed artwork requires an additional 1 to 5 days of processing time to allow for framing. All orders over $250 ship signature required. Pre-Orders, identified by a “Reserve Now” checkout button, can take 3 to 14 business days to process and ship. If there is an issue with your order we will notify you with 1 to 2 business days. For additional information please visit our: Shipping Policy
