Cover for publication Fighters for Freedom

Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice

Virginia M. Mecklenburg, with an introduction by Lonnie G. Bunch III, a foreword by Stephanie Stebich, and contributions by Tiffany D. Farrell and Emily H. Rohan

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.

$34.95softcover
Buy Online

or write to PubOrd@si.edu

Product Details

Publisher
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Co-Publisher
Scala Arts Publishers, Inc.
Year Published
2024
Pages
172
ISBN
  • Softcover: 9781785515354
Dimensions
1012″ portrait

Product Photos

Exhibitions

Media - 1967.59.1146 - SAAM-1967.59.1146_2 - 141130
Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice
March 8, 2024September 10, 2024
William H. Johnson's Fighters for Freedom series from the mid-1940s is a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers, and performers as well as international leaders working to bring peace to the world.