Building Black Futures
From the beginning of racial slavery and colonial rule to our present moment, Black communities have imagined, demanded, and created freer futures.
Though their visions may vary, Black freedom movements are united by a desire for equality, dignity, and respect. From the antislavery work of Black abolitionists to the fight for independence in Africa, many individuals have worked to create better lives for themselves and others. Creating freer futures means both following the footsteps of historical figures and meeting the demands of an ever-changing present—from politics to the arts, from celebrating culture to preserving social memory.
What Is Black Freedom Making?
Diáspora: As Histórias Que O Brasil Não Conta (Diaspora: The Stories Brazil Doesn’t Tell). J. Cunha, 2022.
In this exhibition, freedom is a universe of actions, beliefs, and possibilities. Not simply a single act or specific destination, freedom is achieved through political armed resistance and devoted prayer, stirred over an open fire, grown in a handful of seeds, and danced over drums.
Following emancipation and the legal end of slavery, Black communities continued the fight for greater freedoms. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, communities of African descent created organizations and movements to combat the legacies of racial slavery and colonialism, worked to reclaim lost or suppressed histories, and developed transformative practices of repair and healing.
Artist Spotlight
Daniel Minter and Making Freedom
Detail of Universe of Freedom Making. Daniel Minter, 2024.
What is freedom and how is it made? Artist Daniel Minter worked closely with the international exhibition team to explore this question and explore Black freedom-making traditions. Minter’s installation imagines freedom as a vast universe made of diverse constellations of practices, ideas, and beliefs—from large actions to intimate gestures.
In this installation, art and history intersect. Minter’s installation provides a space for contemplation and imagination.