Larry D. Alexander
Encyclopedia
Larry Dell Alexander is an American
artist, Christian
author and teacher from Dermott, Arkansas
in Chicot County. Alexander is best known for his creations of colorful and black & white "pen and ink" drawings in his "crosshatching" technique, and, his personal rendition of a "Clinton Family Portrait
" oil painting which he gave to U.S. President Bill Clinton
in 1995. He is also known for the Arkansas Schools Tours that he did between 1996 and 2006. He has written several devotional Bible studies
commentaries on several New Testament
books of the Christian Bible, and has also created many drawings and paintings with strong Christian themes over the years.
to Robert and Janie Alexander, Larry is the fourth of ten children and the second of the union of his parents. Alexander began drawing at about the age of four. He never received any formal art training during any level of his schooling while growing up, as none was available in his small rural hometown. After graduating from Dermott High School
in May 1971, Alexander moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas
, where he studied Architectural Residential Design at Pines Vocational Technical School, now Southeast Arkansas College
. In later years he also attended Richland College
in Dallas, Texas
were he studied AutoCAD
.
Today, six pieces of his work from his popular "Dermott Series", a series of paintings he painted about his childhood home of Dermott, are now a part of the permanent collection at the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
. Alexander's work is mostly influenced by his experiences in life, such as growing up in the rural south during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as his life in Detroit, Michigan
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Alexander moved to Detroit, Michigan
after two years of school in Pine Bluff to seek employment in his chosen field. However, he was unsuccessful in the short run, and instead, he ended up finding work in a Chrysler
auto assembly plant and became fascinated with the innerworkings of cars. This led him to become a certified mechanic, a craft he worked at for the next seventeen years. He ultimately met and married his wife, Patricia while living in Detroit, and they moved their family to Irving, Texas
where he opened his own auto repair shop and operated it until 1991.
Encouraged by Patricia, he began using his art talent for the first time in fifteen years. His career as a professional artist can be traced back to this point as he developed his "pen and ink" style that he calls "crosshatching", and used it to create several lines of greeting cards under his, now defunct, "Alexander Greeting Cards Company" name. Between 1991 and 1994 he created over 80 pieces of "pen and ink" fine art
, including "Renetta", "Girlfriends", "Cowboy Fiddler", "Young Kennedys", and "Roundup". He also used many of his drawings on his "FinearTshirt" T-Shirt line of the mid-nineties.
Alexander is also a realist painter who works in a variety of other mediums including oils
, acrylics
, and watercolors. He is a self-taught artist who chooses mostly to do exhibits in venues that provide mainstream exposure to a large variety of people such as festivals, schools, malls, libraries, banks, art institutions, and even U.S. Post Office
branches on occasion.
. The paintings feature images of people, buildings, and sites of Dermott, Arkansas
, such as a cotton gin, his childhood house, where he went to school, and other images. Alexander said at the time that, "I did the Dermott Series for many personal reasons, and I'm overwhelmed by the response this collection is creating here in Texas". The series includes, "Birthplace", "Where I grew up", "Picking Cotton", "Cotton Gin", "Hot Grits", "In the kitchen with mama", and the old Chicot County High School, among others.
and acrylic
paintings of various sites in Detroit, Michigan
at the American Black Artist Institute on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The nine piece series includes paintings on Belle Isle Park
, the Detroit skyline, the Detroit River
, Hitsville USA (the original home for Motown Records
), Greektown Historic District, the old Tiger Stadium (Detroit), the old J.L. Hudson building, former mayor Coleman A. Young, and many more.
and Memphis, Tennessee
. This series included paintings of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain
region from Monroe, Louisiana
to Memphis. It includes a painting of Graceland
, Elvis Presley
's former home, the landmark Greenville Courthouse in Greenville, a perspective of Beale Street
in Memphis, and his classic rendition of a "Cotton Farm" among others. Another piece from the Delta Series, "Aunt Eira Mae" was donated to the permanent collection of The African American Museum (Dallas, Texas)
in 2004.
Gridiron Classic", at Texas Stadium
in Irving, Texas
, Alexander presented a piece from one of his series, "The series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E", to the president, and the chancellor, of the participating colleges, respectively, Texas Southern University
and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
.
of 1965, and portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., Lyndon Johnson, Malcolm X
, Medgar Evers
, and Rosa Parks
. This series also covers the Vietnam War
.
The theme pieces in the collection are a piece called "Composite Sixties", and one called "Composite Protests", which make up a composite of people, places and events that were prominent in the 1960s. For example, they show images of John F. Kennedy
, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon, the United States
presidents who served during the sixties, also J. Edgar Hoover
, Jackie Kennedy, Ted Kennedy
, Robert F. Kennedy
, an image of U.S. astronauts landing on the moon in 1969, and many of the American
protests that took place during this turbulent decade, to name a few.
success story. "There is a lack of input regarding African-Americans in the American history curriculum of schools all over America
" Mr. Alexander says. "There are a lot of schools that offer it as a choice to students, but I think it should be a part of regular American history".
Alexander's book was used to help create a supplemental text, that was later put together by the Irving Independent School District
to help improve the American history curriculum in the high schools of Irving, Texas
in 2002. His book deliberately ignores the contributions of African-Americans in the areas of sports and entertainment, as he feels they are already too well known and over-emphasized in society. Alexander says in his book that, "By no means is this an attempt to downplay the prowess of these particular individuals, or to discourage other individuals who aspire to excel in those areas. This publication is intent on bringing to the forefront, some of the African-American contributions that have historically been largely ignored".
. The final book in the trilogy, Sunday school lessons from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans was released in mid-2007. His other books include Home Bible study commentaries from the Gospel of John in 2008, and Home and Church Bible study commentaries from the Book of Hebrews in 2009. Alexander also writes a weekly on-line Sunday school lesson commentary based on the International Sunday School Lessons curriculum.
put together the first "Arkansas schools tour" in 1996, and in May of that year, visited ten schools in seven cities in four days. Crockett and his son, B.J., both traveled with Alexander on the initial tour, while they were on a one-week break from the tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein
Broadway musical Carousel
, which B.J. had a role in at the time. After the first year however, the tour was continued on by Alexander alone through 2007. Alexander says he wanted to give back to his home state of Arkansas and be a blessing to the children who live there, and, because of the success of the first tour in 1996, Alexander decided to continue doing it once annually for the next ten years. Its major objective was to instill hope and encouragement in the children of Arkansas, and to aid them in making good choices during the developing stages of life. These annual visits to high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, were also conducted to instruct and encourage children in pursuing their goals and careers in the visual arts
, as well as other areas, and to stay away from illegal drugs. It was during the second tour in 1997 that Alexander incorporated his anti-drug slogan “Eradicate Drug Use Common Among Teens Everywhere” (EDUCATE). Alexander usually ended his tour with a two-day art exhibit and print signing at the Dermott, Arkansas
Crawfish Festival.
who teaches Sunday school
and has also served as a Church deacon. He has taught Sunday school
for several years and he also teaches through his books, online "Weekly Sunday School Lesson" commentaries, which are based on the international Sunday school lesson system, his online Book by Book Bible Study, and, his national e-mail system.
He also has created a large body of artwork in Christian
and biblical themes over the years, such as his paintings, "The Twenty-third Psalm Series", which are a visual depiction of the verses of Psalm 23
in the Holy Bible, "Memories of St. Paul", which is a depiction of his childhood church in Dermott, Arkansas
, "Bible Stories", "The Fall of Man", a depiction of Adam
and Eve
after being evicted from the Garden of Eden
, "Sunday Sermon", and many, many more.
He is a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas
where the Rev. Dwight McKissic
Sr. is the pastor. Alexander has written several books aimed at helping to revive the interest of adults in attending Sunday school
in their respective Christian Church
es, and, to help start up, or restore Sunday school
classes back to those Christian Church
es that are lacking these opportunities to get to know the teachings of Jesus Christ.
. They have four children, Ken, Leandra, Kawanna, and Patrice, of whom his "Series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E" is named after. The "PATRICE" means "Providing a Touch Relevant in Continuous Education".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
author and teacher from Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
in Chicot County. Alexander is best known for his creations of colorful and black & white "pen and ink" drawings in his "crosshatching" technique, and, his personal rendition of a "Clinton Family Portrait
Clinton Family Portrait
Clinton Family Portrait is an oil painting on canvas by American artist Larry D. Alexander from Dermott, Arkansas. It was created in 1995 and given as a gift to then U.S. President Bill Clinton who is also a native of Arkansas. It is a unique painting in that Alexander has done very few known oil...
" oil painting which he gave to U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in 1995. He is also known for the Arkansas Schools Tours that he did between 1996 and 2006. He has written several devotional Bible studies
Quiet Time
Quiet Time is a regular individual session of Christian spiritual activities, most notably prayer and/or private study of the Bible. The term "Quiet Time" is used by 20th-century Protestants, mostly evangelical Christians. It is also called "personal Bible study" or "personal devotions"...
commentaries on several New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
books of the Christian Bible, and has also created many drawings and paintings with strong Christian themes over the years.
Early life and career
Born in the small rural town of Dermott, ArkansasDermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
to Robert and Janie Alexander, Larry is the fourth of ten children and the second of the union of his parents. Alexander began drawing at about the age of four. He never received any formal art training during any level of his schooling while growing up, as none was available in his small rural hometown. After graduating from Dermott High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in May 1971, Alexander moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
, where he studied Architectural Residential Design at Pines Vocational Technical School, now Southeast Arkansas College
Southeast Arkansas College
Southeast Arkansas College is a two year associate degree granting college in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Students and others in the area often refer to it as SEARK. Formerly a vocational-technical school, the state legislature designated the school as a college in 1991 with the name Pines Technical...
. In later years he also attended Richland College
Richland College
Richland College is a community college that is part of the Dallas County Community College District and is located near the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas near the border with Richardson and Garland. The school was founded in 1972 and is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly...
in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
were he studied AutoCAD
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
.
Today, six pieces of his work from his popular "Dermott Series", a series of paintings he painted about his childhood home of Dermott, are now a part of the permanent collection at the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
. Alexander's work is mostly influenced by his experiences in life, such as growing up in the rural south during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as his life in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Alexander moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
after two years of school in Pine Bluff to seek employment in his chosen field. However, he was unsuccessful in the short run, and instead, he ended up finding work in a Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
auto assembly plant and became fascinated with the innerworkings of cars. This led him to become a certified mechanic, a craft he worked at for the next seventeen years. He ultimately met and married his wife, Patricia while living in Detroit, and they moved their family to Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
where he opened his own auto repair shop and operated it until 1991.
Encouraged by Patricia, he began using his art talent for the first time in fifteen years. His career as a professional artist can be traced back to this point as he developed his "pen and ink" style that he calls "crosshatching", and used it to create several lines of greeting cards under his, now defunct, "Alexander Greeting Cards Company" name. Between 1991 and 1994 he created over 80 pieces of "pen and ink" fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
, including "Renetta", "Girlfriends", "Cowboy Fiddler", "Young Kennedys", and "Roundup". He also used many of his drawings on his "FinearTshirt" T-Shirt line of the mid-nineties.
Alexander is also a realist painter who works in a variety of other mediums including oils
Oil paint
Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the...
, acrylics
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
, and watercolors. He is a self-taught artist who chooses mostly to do exhibits in venues that provide mainstream exposure to a large variety of people such as festivals, schools, malls, libraries, banks, art institutions, and even U.S. Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
branches on occasion.
The Dermott Series
In early 1996 Alexander finished and released his popular "Dermott Series", a 20 piece collection of oil and acrylic paintings that offered a nostalgic look back at his childhood of growing up in rural southeast ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. The paintings feature images of people, buildings, and sites of Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
, such as a cotton gin, his childhood house, where he went to school, and other images. Alexander said at the time that, "I did the Dermott Series for many personal reasons, and I'm overwhelmed by the response this collection is creating here in Texas". The series includes, "Birthplace", "Where I grew up", "Picking Cotton", "Cotton Gin", "Hot Grits", "In the kitchen with mama", and the old Chicot County High School, among others.
The Detroit Series
In 1999 Alexander unveiled his "Detroit Series", a series of oilOil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and acrylic
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
paintings of various sites in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
at the American Black Artist Institute on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The nine piece series includes paintings on Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle is a island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge...
, the Detroit skyline, the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
, Hitsville USA (the original home for Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
), Greektown Historic District, the old Tiger Stadium (Detroit), the old J.L. Hudson building, former mayor Coleman A. Young, and many more.
The Delta Series
In May 1998 Alexander unveiled his "Delta Series, which was painted entirely with acrylics, during "the Arkansas Schools Tours". The tour was expanded that year to include stops in Greenville, MississippiGreenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. This series included paintings of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lies parts of seven states, from southern Louisiana to southern Illinois....
region from Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
to Memphis. It includes a painting of Graceland
Graceland
Graceland is a large white-columned mansion and estate that was home to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community about 9 miles from Downtown and less than four miles north of the Mississippi border. It currently serves as...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's former home, the landmark Greenville Courthouse in Greenville, a perspective of Beale Street
Beale Street
Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately . It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of the blues. Today, the blues clubs and restaurants that line Beale Street are...
in Memphis, and his classic rendition of a "Cotton Farm" among others. Another piece from the Delta Series, "Aunt Eira Mae" was donated to the permanent collection of The African American Museum (Dallas, Texas)
The African American Museum (Dallas, Texas)
The African American Museum is an American Art museum located at 3536 Grand Avenue in Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. The museum was founded in 1974 and has operated independently since 1979. The 7 million dollar structure, that is now its home, was funded through private donations, and a 1985 Dallas...
in 2004.
The Series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E
Alexander has also donated work to art departments of schools and colleges. In October 1996 at halftime at the inaugural football game, billed as the "MobilMobil
Mobil, previously known as the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company, as well as still being a gas station sometimes paired with their own store or On...
Gridiron Classic", at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
, Alexander presented a piece from one of his series, "The series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E", to the president, and the chancellor, of the participating colleges, respectively, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a historically black university located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States. Founded in 1873, it is the oldest HBCU and the second oldest public institution in the state of Arkansas . UAPB is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
.
The Sixties Series
Alexander's most popular Pen and Ink art series, "The Sixties Series" has been exhibited in schools, libraries, and art institutions in several places since it was completed in 1993. It consists of elaborate drawings of well known figures and events of the 1960s, such as the civil rights Selma to Montgomery marchesSelma to Montgomery marches
The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They grew out of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by local African-Americans who formed the Dallas County Voters League...
of 1965, and portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., Lyndon Johnson, Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
, and Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
. This series also covers the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
The theme pieces in the collection are a piece called "Composite Sixties", and one called "Composite Protests", which make up a composite of people, places and events that were prominent in the 1960s. For example, they show images of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
presidents who served during the sixties, also J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
, Jackie Kennedy, Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
, Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
, an image of U.S. astronauts landing on the moon in 1969, and many of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
protests that took place during this turbulent decade, to name a few.
African-American history book
In 2001, Alexander finished his first book called African-American History at a Glance, which also included several pen and ink drawings of African-Americans who have contributed substantially to the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
success story. "There is a lack of input regarding African-Americans in the American history curriculum of schools all over America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
" Mr. Alexander says. "There are a lot of schools that offer it as a choice to students, but I think it should be a part of regular American history".
Alexander's book was used to help create a supplemental text, that was later put together by the Irving Independent School District
Irving Independent School District
Irving Independent School District is a school district based in Irving, Texas . The district, which covers , serves most of the city of Irving, except for Valley Ranch and a portion of Las Colinas. The district also serves small portions of Grand Prairie and Dallas.Irving ISD is made up of 81%...
to help improve the American history curriculum in the high schools of Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
in 2002. His book deliberately ignores the contributions of African-Americans in the areas of sports and entertainment, as he feels they are already too well known and over-emphasized in society. Alexander says in his book that, "By no means is this an attempt to downplay the prowess of these particular individuals, or to discourage other individuals who aspire to excel in those areas. This publication is intent on bringing to the forefront, some of the African-American contributions that have historically been largely ignored".
Christian books
In 2006, Alexander wrote his second book entitled Sunday school lessons from the book of the Acts of the Apostles, which deals with his calling by God to teach the Holy Bible. Sunday school lessons from the book of the Acts of the Apostles was the first of a trilogy that he self-published over a one year period. It was followed in late 2006 by the second book of the trilogy, called Sunday school lessons from the Gospel according to John MarkJohn Mark
John Mark is a character in the New Testament. According to William Lane, an "unbroken tradition" identifies him with Mark the Evangelist. John Mark is mentioned several times in the Acts of the Apostles...
. The final book in the trilogy, Sunday school lessons from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans was released in mid-2007. His other books include Home Bible study commentaries from the Gospel of John in 2008, and Home and Church Bible study commentaries from the Book of Hebrews in 2009. Alexander also writes a weekly on-line Sunday school lesson commentary based on the International Sunday School Lessons curriculum.
The Arkansas schools tours
Alexander and his cousin Lawrence “Larry” Crockett, both natives of Dermott, ArkansasDermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
put together the first "Arkansas schools tour" in 1996, and in May of that year, visited ten schools in seven cities in four days. Crockett and his son, B.J., both traveled with Alexander on the initial tour, while they were on a one-week break from the tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
Broadway musical Carousel
Carousel (musical)
Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II . The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline...
, which B.J. had a role in at the time. After the first year however, the tour was continued on by Alexander alone through 2007. Alexander says he wanted to give back to his home state of Arkansas and be a blessing to the children who live there, and, because of the success of the first tour in 1996, Alexander decided to continue doing it once annually for the next ten years. Its major objective was to instill hope and encouragement in the children of Arkansas, and to aid them in making good choices during the developing stages of life. These annual visits to high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, were also conducted to instruct and encourage children in pursuing their goals and careers in the visual arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
, as well as other areas, and to stay away from illegal drugs. It was during the second tour in 1997 that Alexander incorporated his anti-drug slogan “Eradicate Drug Use Common Among Teens Everywhere” (EDUCATE). Alexander usually ended his tour with a two-day art exhibit and print signing at the Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
Crawfish Festival.
Arkansas Schools Tours Stops 1996 - 2006
- Dermott Elementary - Dermott, ArkansasDermott, ArkansasDermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
- Dunbar Magnet Middle SchoolDunbar Magnet Middle SchoolDunbar Gifted & Talented Education International Studies Magnet Middle School is a magnet middle school in Little Rock, Arkansas and administered by the Little Rock School District....
- Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
- Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle SchoolMann Arts and Science Magnet Middle SchoolHorace Mann Arts and Sciences Magnet Middle School is a magnet middle school located in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. It is part of the Little Rock School District. The school was named after Congressman Horace Mann.-History:...
- Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
- Chystal Hills Elementary - North Little Rock, ArkansasNorth Little Rock, Arkansasthe city was 62.55% White, 33.98% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races...
- 34th Avenue Arts Magnet School - Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
- Coleman Elementary - Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
- Reed Elementary - Dumas, ArkansasDumas, ArkansasDumas is a city in Desha County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,706 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Dumas is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
- Lakeside Elementary - Lake Village, ArkansasLake Village, ArkansasLake Village is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,823 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Chicot County.Lake Village is named for its location on Lake Chicot, an oxbow lake formed from the Mississippi River...
- McGehee Elementary - McGehee, ArkansasMcGehee, ArkansasMcGehee is a city in Desha County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,219 at the 2010 census.-History:The history of the city of McGehee and the history of the railroad through McGehee are intricately interwoven...
- Clinton Elementary Magnet School - Sherwood, ArkansasSherwood, ArkansasSherwood is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States, and a suburb of Little Rock. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 29,523...
- Hamburg Junior High - Hamburg, ArkansasHamburg, ArkansasHamburg is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,039 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Ashley County.-Geography:...
- Albriton Elementary - Hamburg, ArkansasHamburg, ArkansasHamburg is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,039 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Ashley County.-Geography:...
- Wilmot Elementary - Wilmot, ArkansasWilmot, ArkansasWilmot is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 786 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wilmot is located at ....
- Coleman Middle School - Greenville, MississippiGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
- Portland Elementary - Portland, ArkansasPortland, ArkansasPortland is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 552 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Portland is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- Pine Bluff High SchoolPine Bluff High SchoolPine Bluff High School is a public high school in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. It is the largest public school in the city and county.-Mission:...
- Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
- Camden Fairview Middle School - Camden, ArkansasCamden, ArkansasCamden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Long an area of American Indians villages, the French also made a permanent settlement here because of its advantageous location above the Ouachita River. According to 2007 Census...
- Camden Fairview High SchoolCamden Fairview High SchoolCamden Fairview High School is a secondary school located in Camden, Arkansas, United States. The school is a part of the Camden Fairview School District....
- Camden, ArkansasCamden, ArkansasCamden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Long an area of American Indians villages, the French also made a permanent settlement here because of its advantageous location above the Ouachita River. According to 2007 Census...
- Indiana Street School - Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
Religion
Alexander is a devout ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
who teaches Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
and has also served as a Church deacon. He has taught Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
for several years and he also teaches through his books, online "Weekly Sunday School Lesson" commentaries, which are based on the international Sunday school lesson system, his online Book by Book Bible Study, and, his national e-mail system.
He also has created a large body of artwork in Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and biblical themes over the years, such as his paintings, "The Twenty-third Psalm Series", which are a visual depiction of the verses of Psalm 23
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
in the Holy Bible, "Memories of St. Paul", which is a depiction of his childhood church in Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott, Arkansas
Dermott is a city in Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,292 at the 2000 census. Dermott was incorporated in 1890.Dermott is home to the Dermott Crawfish Festival.-Geography:Dermott is located at ....
, "Bible Stories", "The Fall of Man", a depiction of Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
and Eve
Eve
Eve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
after being evicted from the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
, "Sunday Sermon", and many, many more.
He is a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
where the Rev. Dwight McKissic
Dwight McKissic
William Dwight McKissic, Sr. or Dwight McKissic is a prominent African-American Southern Baptist minister from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He is the current senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. McKissic is a controversial leader of the Bapticostal movement, marked by a...
Sr. is the pastor. Alexander has written several books aimed at helping to revive the interest of adults in attending Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
in their respective Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
es, and, to help start up, or restore Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
classes back to those Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
es that are lacking these opportunities to get to know the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Personal life
Alexander and his wife of 32 years, Patricia, live in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They have four children, Ken, Leandra, Kawanna, and Patrice, of whom his "Series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E" is named after. The "PATRICE" means "Providing a Touch Relevant in Continuous Education".
Books
- 2001 - African-American History at a Glance"
- 2006 - Sunday school lessons from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles - ISBN 978-1-4116-9831-4
- 2006 - Sunday school lessons from the Gospel according to John Mark - ISBN 978-0-6151-3552-6
- 2007 - Sunday school lessons from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans - ISBN 978-0-6151-5342-1
- 2008 - Home Bible study commentaries from The Gospel of John - ISBN 978-0-6152-0347-8
- 2009 - Home and Church Bible study commentaries from The Book of Hebrews - ISBN 978-0-5780-3453-9
Greeting cards
- 1991 "The Expressions Line" - Library of Congress - copyright PAU 1-608-507
- 1991 "The Save the Children Line" - Library of Congress - copyright PAU 1-563-400
- 1991 "The Feelings Line" - Library of Congress - copyright PAU 1-563-399
- 1991 "The Professions Line" - Library of Congress - copyright PAU 1-566-819
Pen & ink art
- 1991-1994 Larry D. Alexander/American Artist - "82 pieces of Pen & Ink Art" - Library of Congress - copyright VA 664-679
- 1994 - "Roundup"
- 1992 - "Renetta"
- 1994 - "Cowboy Fiddler"
- 1995 - "Girlfriends"
- 1994 - "Young Kennedys"
Paintings
- 1995 "Clinton Family PortraitClinton Family PortraitClinton Family Portrait is an oil painting on canvas by American artist Larry D. Alexander from Dermott, Arkansas. It was created in 1995 and given as a gift to then U.S. President Bill Clinton who is also a native of Arkansas. It is a unique painting in that Alexander has done very few known oil...
" (Oil) - 1995 "The Jockey" (Oil)
- 1996 "Cotton Gin" (Acrylics)
- 1996 "In the kitchen with mama" (Acrylics)
- 1997 "Cotton Farm" (Acrylics)
- 1997 "Shelling Peas" (Acrylics)
- 1998 "Belle Isle" (Oil)
- 1999 "African Mothers" (Acrylics)
- 2008 "Washday in Luanda" (Acrylics)
Art Series
- 1994 "The Twenty-Third Psalm Series" (Acrylics)
- 1993 "The Sixties Series" (Pen & Ink)
- 1994 "The Animal Series" (Pen & Ink)
- 1995 "The Western Art Series" (Pen & Ink)
- 1995 "American Girls" (Oil)
- 1996 "The Dermott Series" (Oil and Acrylics)
- 1996 "The Series of P.A.T.R.I.C.E." (Oil and Acrylics)
- 1997 "The Age of Innocence Series" (Oil and Watercolors)
- 1998 "The Delta Series" (Oil and Acrylics)
- 1999 "The series that is Detroit" (Oil and Acrylics)