It is a beloved anecdote passed down through generations of the Stowe family–the story of the first time that Harriet Beecher had the honor of meeting President Abraham Lincoln.

Though some historians argue the historical validity of the quote, it is reported that at Lincoln’s first meeting with Stowe, he greeted her by shaking her hand and saying these powerful words:

“So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!”

Though the historical accuracy of the quote may be in question, there is little doubt among biographers that the sentiment wouldn’t have been felt true by the President. Stowe had managed to write a novel that deeply affected and infuriated the masses again to the horrors of slavery. She wrote in a way that deeply humanized those trapped in slavery and gave them a story to tell.

She was a voice for those that couldn’t effectively stand up for themselves at the time.

She made an impact on the course of history by writing a story that made the issue at hand undeniably real and urgent.

She wrote a story that was a contributing spark to the fires of war that would ultimately mean freedom to millions.

Slavery was a terrible reality and a horrific violation of human rights. Stowe felt the burden of this reality and—as an artist—she was inspired to use her artistic bent to inspire social change.

Today, we are still facing the other horrific human rights violation that is legal abortion-on-demand.

Which is why we should find it saddening to see that there are so few pro-life artists putting their work “out there” with the hope of inspiring social change on this important subject.

Yes, there are hundreds of non-fiction books on the subject, tens of thousands of people “marching for life” every year, sidewalk counselors, crisis pregnancy centers, speakers and pro-life legal advocates.

And these are all fantastic things/people that are helping the pro-life cause more than we can even see at the moment.

But where are our Harriet Beecher Stowes? The artists that see the devastating reality that is at hand and use their artistic giftings to inspire change?

Are there just so few pro-life artists out there that we just don’t notice new pro-life artwork surfacing and gaining popularity?

Are the artists just too scared of releasing a work with such a controversial inspiration?

While researching for my pro-life novel, I googled the term “pro-life art.” Among many articles on the FIRST page of search results (most about the lack-thereof respected pro-life artwork available) was an article from the popular conservative news website theblaze.com titled:

“Will Christian Artist’s Anti-Abortion Painting Actually Save Unborn Babies’ Lives?“

The article was about a beautiful painting called “Before I Formed You In The Womb” by the respected Christian artist Ron DiCianni. After painting this moving Christian pro-life piece, DiCianni embarked on a campaign to get this “inspiring piece of artwork in front of women that are considering abortion” to hopefully move hearts into reconsidering the value of the human life that they were carrying.

When I read the article, my heart sank. With the condescending title alone, the author was devaluing DiCianni’s work. Later in the article he even implies that DiCianni’s motives in producing this work and his distribution campaign may not have been to “save unborn babies’ lives” but to simply “further his career.”

Could this type of article be EXACTLY why pro-life artists are nervous to put their work out there? Are they nervous that their efforts will be ridiculed and their inspirations, motivations, and campaigns be called into question by the big-name pro-life advocates and news outlets that tend to devalue the arts?

Or could it be that the artists that DO attempt to create moving works for this cause are usually green, budding beginners that suddenly feel the weight of unappreciation by the majority of the pro-life cause after releasing their first work, so they simply give up?

Could it be that upon feeling this rejection, they are discouraged from creating pro-life works altogether–thus making the pro-life cause one that is tackled only by beginner artists–with no mature artists to explore the depths of this issue to its greatest potential?

I could write a dozen other articles about my experience so far with releasing my first pro-life work to the public and the reactions that it has garnered from those in the pro-life community in comparison to the general public–but I will refrain, and offer encouragement to any pro-life author, poet, musician, painter, sculptor, or other artist that might be feeling the weight of the lack of appreciation and support from those involved in the pro-life cause.

You’re not alone.

And yeah, your past works may not be the pro-life movement’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

But, one day, there will be an Uncle Tom’s Cabin for this movement–it’s just too important of a cause for there to NOT be a piece of artwork that eventually inspires a huge paradigm shift.

There are always going to be naysayers that tell you that what you are doing is pointless. They will tell you a million other things that you COULD be doing to affect change in your revolution of choice. Things that seem MUCH more important to them than creating art to inspire change.

But don’t ever stop using your artistic gifts to inspire the change that you want to see in the world–even if the majority of those that agree with you pick apart your work and seem that they couldn’t care less about being inspired.

But for every revolution, there are artists that sparked flames in the hearts of the revolutionaries.

And who’s to say that yours can’t be the voice to strike the match?

“It’s a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done.” -Harriet Beecher Stowe

(I’m aware that among differing opinions on abortion rights, to make a comparison between slavery/genocide and abortion is a very extreme (and ultimately oversimplified) view to take. But please understand WHAT pro-lifers believe before concluding that these comparisons are extreme. Pro-lifers believe that a fetus in the womb is equal in humanity and worth to any other newborn baby or adult human being. If this is true, comparing legal “abortion-on-demand” to genocide and slavery is a valid comparison to make.)