Unkown

"Thirty Years for Possessing ONE Joint” Colorful Neon "Free Lee Otis!" Print 1972

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Material

Screen Print

About

Bright and colorful depiction of Lee Otis Johnson, the local black student leader who was sentenced in 1968 to 30 years in prison for passing a marijuana cigarette to an undercover officer. "Free Lee Otis!" became the the shorthand for the argument that state drug laws were overly harsh, that civil rights needed a boost, and that Johnson was framed because of his activities that displeased the city's conservative powers. Johnson was freed four years into his prison term, and the Texas marijuana laws eventually were relaxed. Signed, titled, and dated by artist along lower border. Screenprint ed 33/38. Currently hung in a black frame with a white mat.

Dimensions With Frame

H 26 in. x W 20 in. x D .75 in.

Dimensions Without Frame

H 21 in. x W 16 in.