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 heads of state working to bring peace to the world. Some of his Fighters — Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Marian Anderson, and Mohandas Gandhi — are familiar historical figures; others are less well-known individuals. 

This catalogue—the first ever devoted to the Fighters for Freedom series—showcases Johnson’s bold, modernist style with more than seventy-five color illustrations. An essay by curator Virginia Mecklenburg traces the artist’s life and career, while an introduction by Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch III captures the series’ spirit of grit, inspiration, and uplift. Descriptions for each painting explore the lives of the Fighters and the historical context for their causes. Illuminating Johnson’s process are period photographs and illustrations that served as source material as well as preparatory sketches that have never been published or exhibited before. Ten objects from other Smithsonian museums, such as Marian Anderson’s dress from her 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert, help humanize these important figures in US history. This catalogue accompanies the Smithsonian American Art Museum's exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice.