Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice On view through September 8
Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Streets NW In the mid-1940s, William H. Johnson, a Black modernist painter and important figure in the Harlem Renaissance, painted his last body of work. The “Fighters for Freedom” series is a powerful a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers and performers as well as international leaders working to bring peace to a post-war world.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum's landmark exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice, now on view, shows the series together for the first time as a collection, featuring 34 paintings from the series, including 32 drawn from SAAM’s collection of more than 1,000 works by Johnson. “Johnson's Fighters for Freedom series is a striking example of art at its most potent, using a colorful palette to create evocative scenes and craft important narratives about equality, justice, achievement, and the sacrifices made in the continuing effort to bring about a more perfect union.” —Lonnie G. Bunch, III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution Some of Johnson’s Fighters — Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Marian Anderson, and Mahatma Gandhi — are familiar historical figures; others are less well-known individuals whose determination and sacrifice have been eclipsed over time. Johnson elevates their lives, offering historical insights and fresh perspectives. In the series, Johnson celebrates the accomplishments of the Fighters even as he acknowledged the realities of racism, violence, and oppression they faced and overcame. Through their stories he suggests that the pursuit of freedom is an ongoing, interconnected struggle, with moments of both triumph and tragedy, and his timeless artworks invite us to reflect on our own struggles for justice today. |
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The Smithsonian American Art Museum is able to create and share experiences like these thanks to funding from generous supporters like you. Thank you for ensuring that American art is available to all. Donate to support SAAM. |
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Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum with generous support from Art Bridges, Faye and Robert Davidson, William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment Fund, Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation, Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Foundation, Margery and Edgar Masinter Exhibition Endowment, Sara Roby Foundation, and Share Fund.
Image Credit: William H. Johnson, Harriet Tubman, ca. 1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.1146
William H. Johnson, Booker T. Washington Legend, ca. 1944-1945, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.664
William H. Johnson, Marian Anderson, ca. 1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.657
William H. Johnson, Women Builders, 1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.1150
William H. Johnson, Three Great Abolitionists: A. Lincoln, F. Douglass, J. Brown, ca. 1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1983.95.51 |
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