The Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Fellowship was created by artist Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence to provide inspiration for young artists and scholarship in the field of art history, especially as it pertains to the artistic and cultural life of black artists, both of which were important to Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence. Funding for the fellowship is provided by the Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Endowment. In selecting artists to receive the fellowship, emphasis is placed on individuals whose original work reflects the Lawrences' concern for artistic excellence, education, mentorship and scholarship within the cultural contexts and value systems that informed their work and the work of other artists of color.

Beginning in 2009, the Seattle Art Museum’s Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Fellowship will be awarded bi-annually to an early career black (not necessarily African-American) artist—an individual who has been producing mature work for less than 10 years. The selected artist is honored with a one-person exhibition in SAM’s Gwendolyn Knight & Jacob Lawrence Gallery and receives a $10,000 award to further his or her artistic practice. Titus Kaphar is the inaugural fellow.