The Truth of Freedom celebrates the landmark Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, and the eventual freedom of enslaved people in Galveston, TX on June 19, 1865, better known as Juneteenth. This holiday, sometimes called Emancipation Day or the United States’ second Independence Day recognizes the past, honors freedom, and dreams for the future. The 28 works of art in this exhibition exemplify art as one of the many tools of survival and liberation which Black people have utilized throughout history and express the power of art as an act of liberation and self-determination.
The Truth of Freedom features art curated by the Ujamaa Community Bookstore. Ujamaa is a place to celebrate BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) creativity, honor the history of the Black diaspora, and continue community efforts toward freedom and justice.
‘Ujamaa’ translates from Swahili to English as ‘familyhood’.
It is hard for me to put into words what being featured in this exhibit means to me. I used to be a security guard here and now I have art in the gallery. It is really incredible how life happens. I am more free than I have ever been.
Thanks so much to Umoja Community Bookstore and to Newfields.