Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice

“William H. Johnson painted his Fighters for Freedom series in the mid-1940s as a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers, and performers as well as international leaders. “Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice” presents colorful and engaging portraits of figures like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Booker T. Washington, highlighting their achievements and underscoring the nation’s struggle for freedom and equality. About thirty entries complement Johnson’s artworks from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s touring exhibition. Related items from around the Smithsonian, such as Marian Anderson’s concert dress and Nat Turner’s bible, provide more insight to these real-life heroes. In his preface, Lonnie Bunch, a historian and the first African American leader of the Smithsonian, traces the nation’s arc toward greater liberty. An introduction by curator Virginia Mecklenburg describes the life and work of artist William H. Johnson. The catalogue entries detail the varied accomplishments of the activists in Johnson’s powerful painting series”–