Strength and dignity characterize the art of Elizabeth Catlett. As a young woman she studied-but quickly rejected-abstraction, believing that recognizable imagery was needed to make her work accessible to viewers. Singing Their Songs is part of a series of prints Catlett created to illustrate an important poem by the award-winning African American author Margaret Walker. Each of the four figures in this print offers a different view of the heroic quality and the physical beauty of African Americans. The first stanza of Walker's poem refers to black people "everywhere/singing their slave songs repeatedly"; it also describes people kneeling in prayer. Catlett has literally illustrated both actions, catching figures with their lips parted, in the middle of a sung or spoken phrase, thus adding a strong sense of dynamism to the print. The artist's use of numerous textures and patterns, as well as bold colors, further emphasizes the visual power of this work.