As the companion to the exhibition, Fighting for Freedom places Black craftspeople at the forefront of American history, from before the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and beyond Reconstruction. Delving into diverse narratives of creativity, resilience, and triumph in the quest for freedom, this book underscores the evolution of freedom through the lens of material culture—by exploring how the very concept of freedom was shaped and redefined by enslaved and free craftspeople who relentlessly fought for their rights and the recognition of their humanity.

Featuring ten essays by leading historians, museum curators, and material culture scholars and more than seventy color photographs of Black artistry, including paintings, metalwork, woodwork, pottery, and furniture, this book vividly illustrates how Black men and women persistently sought tangible expressions of liberty which have endured as symbols of their creators’ legacies in the ongoing struggle for freedom.

Contributors include Lauren Applebaum, Robell Awake, Lydia Blackmore, Aleia M. Brown, R. Ruthie Dibble, Philippe L. B. Halbert, Jennifer Van Horn, Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley, and Susan J. Rawles.

Exhibition dates:
Daughters of the American Revolution Museum (Washington, DC): March 28, 2025-December 31, 2025
Gibbes Museum of Art (Charleston, SC): Summer 2026-Spring 2027
Historic New Orleans Collection (New Orleans, LA): Summer/Fall 2027
Tennessee State Museum (Nashville, TN): Winter/Spring 2028
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (Winchester, VA): Summer/Fall 2028

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Yes, you can access Fighting for Freedom by Torren L. Gatson,Tiffany N. Momon,William A. Strollo in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Art & African American History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

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The University of North Carolina Press

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Subtopic

African American History

Cover Page
Halftitle Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Halftitle Page
1 Artist’s Statement
2 Black Decorative Arts Exhibitions, Then and Now
3 Carving a Vision of Freedom: Edmonia Lewis and Black Representation during the Fight for Emancipation
4 Crafting Community: Cabinetmakers of Color from Saint-Domingue in New Orleans
5 Literacy as Freedom: Dave the Potter and the Act of Inscribing
6 Considering the Black Laundress as Radical Crafter
7 Bred to a Good Trade: Enslaved Furniture Artisans in Philadelphia, 1750–1800
8 Robert Duncanson, Painter and Glazier: Enslaved and Free Black Men’s Artistic Production in the Early United States
9 State Craft: Robert K. Griffin and the Black American Artisans of the Liberian Senate
10 Mestre de luy mesme: François Mentor, Free Silversmith of Color in Colonial Canada
Exhibition Catalog of Objects
Selected Bibliography
Contributors
Index

About this book

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Table of contents