Fields of Endless Days

Aminah Robinson routinely selected themes and subjects drawn from Black culture and personal experience. In this imposing drawing from 1974, Robinson focuses on the fellowhip of women and the innate power of community. The title of her drawing, Fields of Endless Days, alludes to the hymn, “The Heavenly Land, ” by prominent abolitionist Harriet Tubman, (c. 1822–1913), who escaped slavery herself and led countless other enslaved Africans and their decendants to freedom through a network of safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. As a devout Christian and a music-lover, Tubman made hymns an integral part of the experience. Some historians suggest that the hymns were used as code, indicating safety or danger. This one, reflecting hope through trial, was one of Tubman’s and Robinson's favorites.