RELEASE DATE: AUG 13, 2025
The Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro announces the fall exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice. This exhibition illuminates the extraordinary life and contributions of William H. Johnson (1901–1970), an artist associated with the Harlem Renaissance whose practice spanned several continents, as well as the contributions of the historical figures he depicted. The exhibition is drawn from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection of more than thirteen hundred works by Johnson. It will be on view from September 6 to November 29, 2025.
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. He celebrated their accomplishments even as he acknowledged the realities of racism, violence, and oppression that they faced and overcame. Some of his “Fighters”—Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Marian Anderson, and Mohandas Gandhi—are familiar figures; others are less well-known individuals whose determination and sacrifice have been eclipsed over time. Johnson elevates each of their lives, offering historical insights and fresh perspectives through a colorful palette and the addition of tiny buildings, flags, and vignettes that evoke their work. Through these stories, he suggests that the pursuit of freedom is an ongoing, interconnected struggle, with moments of both triumph and tragedy, and he invites us to reflect on our own struggles for justice today. With Fighters for Freedom, Johnson reminds us that individual achievement and a commitment to social justice are at the heart of the American story.
“Fighters for Freedom embodies the Weatherspoon’s conviction that connecting art, history, and community sparks reflection, dialogue, and action,” said Juliette Bianco, Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Endowed Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum. “We are delighted to bring this powerful exhibition to UNC Greensboro and the broader Greensboro community, and deeply grateful to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Art Bridges for their partnership in making it possible. We also warmly invite everyone to take part in the vibrant, free programming our team—together with campus and community partners—has created to enrich and extend these conversations.”
Elaine D. Gustafson, curator of collections and head of facilities at the Weatherspoon, shared, “Fighters for Freedom provides a great opportunity for us to showcase an incredible artist who was inspired by the actions of both historical figures and his contemporaries. American history, global politics, mid-century culture, and more are some of the themes that are readily apparent in Johnson’s paintings. His images, rarely gathered in such number, provide timely opportunities for both group and individual exploration and learning.”
The Weatherspoon has created extensive in-gallery interpretation strategies to deepen visitors’ understanding of Johnson and the featured historical figures. Both written and audio information is available, as is a self-guided family guide to the exhibition. Additional elements include four visual descriptions of key works; an all-ages reading area that offers visitors a chance to gather, learn, and reflect; and an activity station featuring responses from visitors about people they consider fighters for freedom today.
A beautifully illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition, co-published by the Smithsonian American Art Museum in association with Scala Arts Publishers Inc. It is available for purchase ($34.95, softcover) online.
Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Generous support for this project is provided by Art Bridges.
Fighters for Freedom Programming:
Curator’s Talk: Fighters for Freedom
Thursday, September 11, 5:30–6:30pm
Join exhibition curator Dr. Virginia Mecklenburg for a presentation about William H. Johnson’s work, legacy, and his series Fighters for Freedom. MORE
Galley Talk: Fighters for Freedom
Friday, September 19, 12–1pm
Join WAM curator Elaine D. Gustafson and UNCG art historian Dr. Claire Ittner as they discuss William H. Johnson’s work. MORE
2025 Fall Open House
Thursday, September 25, 5–7pm
The Weatherspoon Art Museum is pleased to invite members, friends, and students to our annual Fall Open House to celebrate all the fall exhibitions and highlight the collaborative relationships that have made our exhibitions possible. This year, we especially highlight the exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. MORE
Artists Panel: “Whose Freedom Are We Fighting For?”
Thursday, October 9, 6–7:30pm
Join us for a dynamic discussion with Greensboro artists who will respond to William H. Johnson’s artwork through a contemporary lens to explore issues of identity, liberation, and representation. Moderated by Karen Archia, visual artist and community partnerships coordinator at Creative Greensboro, the city’s office for arts and culture. MORE
Art Crawl: Fighters for Freedom
Saturday, October 11
You’re invited to enjoy Creative Greensboro’s Neighborhood Arts in a free, interactive art crawl that brings to life the themes of the exhibition Fighters for Freedom. Experience community-based creativity across the city during this unique opportunity to connect with local artists and their work. Final schedule to be determined; see the Weatherspoon website for details. Presented in partnership with Creative Greensboro, the city’s office of arts and culture, and Greensboro Parks and Recreation. MORE
Sunday Best: Celebrating William H. Johnson
Sunday, October 19, 12–5pm + Sunday, November 16, 12–5pm
As part of the programming for Fighters for Freedom, the museum will open on two Sundays this fall. Drop by in the afternoon to see the paintings, attend informative panels about the works and themes featured in the exhibition, and contribute to the Conversations in Black Project by bringing photographs and ephemera to digitize and add to this online collection chronicling African American contributions in Greensboro.
Refreshments will be served. Full program details will be available on the museum website. Presented in partnership with the UNCG African American and African Diaspora Studies Program (AADS), the UNCG University Libraries, and Conversations in Black: African American History and Heritage, Greensboro, NC. MORE
Neighborhood Artists Celebrate William H. Johnson
November 9–December 12, 2025
Location: African American Atelier in Downtown Greensboro
Creative Greensboro’s Neighborhood Arts Grant recipients will participate in an exhibition and artists’ panel that addresses the influence of William H. Johnson’s art and themes on their own artistic vision in this exhibition displayed at the African American Atelier. Full program details will be available on the museum’s website and on the African American Atelier’s website closer to the date. Presented in partnership with the African American Atelier and Creative Greensboro, the City’s office of arts and culture. MORE
Thank you to the following organizations for their support: African American Atelier. Creative Greensboro, Digital Greensboro, Greensboro Parks & Recreation, UNCG’s African and African Diaspora Studies Program (AADS), and UNCG University Libraries.
Image: William H. Johnson, Booker T. Washington Legend, about 1944–45. Oil on plywood, 39 7/8 x 30 7/8 in. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gift of the Harmon Foundation; 1967.59.664
For a complete, updated list of Weatherspoon programs, visit weatherspoonart.org
About the Weatherspoon Art Museum
Mission
Embracing its public service role, the Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro fosters the ability of art to impact lives and connect multiple communities.
History
The Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNC Greensboro was founded by Gregory Ivy in 1941 and is the earliest of any art facilities within the UNC system. The museum was founded as a resource for the campus, community, and region, and its early leadership developed an emphasis—maintained to this day—on presenting and acquiring modern and contemporary works of art. A 1950 bequest from the renowned collection of Claribel and Etta Cone, including prints and bronzes by Henri Matisse and other works on paper by American and European modernists, helped establish the Weatherspoon’s permanent collection. During Ivy’s tenure, other prescient acquisitions included a 1951 suspended mobile by Alexander Calder, Willem de Kooning’s pivotal 1949-50 Woman, and the first drawings by Eva Hesse and Robert Smithson to enter a museum collection.
In 1989, the museum moved into its present location in The Anne and Benjamin Cone Building designed by the architectural firm Mitchell Giurgola. The museum has six galleries and a sculpture courtyard with over 17,000 square feet of exhibition space. The American Alliance of Museums first accredited the Weatherspoon in 1995.
Collections + Exhibitions
The collection of the Weatherspoon Art Museum is one of the foremost of its kind in the Southeast. It represents all major art movements from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Among the nearly 7,000 works in the collection are pieces by such prominent figures as Henry Ossawa Tanner, Edward Weston, Joseph Stella, David Smith, Jackson Pollock, Elizabeth Catlett, Louise Nevelson, Gordon Parks, Sol LeWitt, Robert Mangold, Cindy Sherman, Adrian Piper, Betye Saar, Amy Sillman, Nick Cave, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Sanford Biggers. The museum regularly lends to major exhibitions nationally and internationally.
The Weatherspoon is also known for its dynamic exhibition program. Through a lively annual calendar of exhibitions and a multidisciplinary educational program for audiences of all ages, the museum provides an opportunity for visitors to consider artistic, cultural, and social issues of our time—enriching the life of our university, community, and region.
UNC Greensboro
UNC Greensboro is a learner-centered public research university with 18,000 students in eight colleges and schools pursuing more than 150 areas of undergraduate and 200 areas of graduate study. Recognized nationally for helping first-generation and lower-income students find paths to prosperity, UNCG is ranked No. 1 most affordable institution in North Carolina for net cost by the N.Y. Times and No. 1 in North Carolina for social mobility by The Wall Street Journal. Designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, UNCG is a community-engaged research institution with a portfolio of more than $67M in research and creative activity. The University creates an annual economic impact for the Piedmont Triad region in excess of $1B. Please visit uncg.edu and follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky and LinkedIn.
Weatherspoon Art Museum
UNC Greensboro
1005 Spring Garden Street
Greensboro, NC 27412, (336) 334-5770, weatherspoon@uncg.edu
For more information or press images, contact:
Loring Mortensen, Head of Communications, (336) 256-1451, lamorten@uncg.edu
