Douglas was most influenced by African sculpture, jazz music, and African dance. Like much African art, his paintings appear flat. He repeats designs again and again.
Douglas was asked to paint murals on the New York Public Library in Harlem. Douglas's larger than life paintings on the walls of the library tell the story of African life.
One panel shows a slave escaping. The panel tells the story of blacks escaping from the South and going to the North. There are jazz musicians on the murals. They are symbols to show that art and music would free blacks from racism.