lawrence arthur jones was born in 1910 in lynchburg, virginia, the oldest of 12 siblings. an interesting point of pride for the jones family was that they claimed to be descendants of sally hemings, a slave on thomas jefferson's plantation. jones grew up fairly poor, but from an early age he displayed a keen talent for drawing. in high school, jones attended a segregated school that was underfunded and did not have an art department. however, despite dunbar high school's deficient program, lawrence found artistic opportunity drawing charts, sketches, and decorations for the high school. in 1927, lawrence's senior year of high school, the famous harlem poet james weldon johnson spoke at dunbar high school. during johnson's stay in lynchburg, jones showed the poet his drawings, and johnson was so impressed with the young artist's work that he suggested that jones pursue further education in art after graduating high school.