Jacob Lawrence

* Jacob Lawrence is a name from my childhood (obituary, June 10). He was not only a great artist, he and his wife, Gwen, were also caring neighbors. I grew up in the same building with them, at Kingsview Homes, Brooklyn. Kingsview was a nonprofit co-op my father, the late professor Jerome Bartels, organized for 300 families in the late ‘50s. It was a fully integrated community. Any time a scroll was needed to honor a board member, Jake would produce one. It was like growing up in a small town. I wonder if anyone saved those scrolls, or appreciated the fame of the man who made them.

I remember fondly that when I would trick-or-treat for UNICEF, or collect pennies for Lincoln Center, Jake and Gwen would always contribute and praise these causes, taking time to discuss them with me, just a kid. I had no idea of how famous he was, just that he was a really friendly, caring person. That’s how I still remember Jake. It showed in his art and in his life. And I’m glad that his name will live on at his new center in Harlem.

LAURA BARTELS LAKE

Los Angeles