Faith Ringgold (1930–2024) was a multi-disciplinary artist, activist, and author. Deeply involved in the Black Power and feminist movements of the 1960s and ’70s, Ringgold’s work is both intensely political and personal. The works in this exhibition evince Ringgold’s life-long activism and interrogation of American myth-making.

Highlighted are two print portfolios that interpret keystone American texts: the Declaration of Independence and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham City Jail. Ringgold’s art brings new meaning to the texts, often commingling hope and horror in equal measure. Displayed alongside selections from these portfolios are related works, including images of Ringgold’s American heroes. In the spring, Ringgold’s prints will be joined by other works from the collection, deepening and complementing the stories being told.

As we mark the country’s 250th anniversary, this exhibition prompts us to view our own relationship with US history through the incisive work of a great American artist. The complexities and tragedies of that history—as well as hope for the future—are at the heart of it all. As Ringgold said: “There is always something going on here, in America. It’s a colorful place, so to speak—never a dull moment. But I am never discouraged. I think we are going to be all right.”

This exhibition is made possible by the Joyce Eisner Marcus 1953 Art Exhibition Fund.