Permanent Collection Installation | Faith Ringgold: Declaration of Freedom and Independence

Throughout her prolific career, Faith Ringgold (1930–2024) created art as a vehicle for storytelling, protest, and empowerment.

Growing up in the wake of the Harlem Renaissance and coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, she forged a singular practice that bridged painting, quilting, performance, and printmaking, and that challenged narratives of race, gender, and national identity in American art.

Marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence, the Museum presents Ringgold’s iconic print series, Declaration of Freedom and Independence (2008–2009), which reimagines the founding ideals of the United States. Revisiting the language of liberty and citizenship, Ringgold’s series considers the contradictions between America’s promises, exclusions, and ongoing efforts to achieve justice and equality for all. At once celebratory and skeptical, the series transforms the nation’s most revered symbols into sites of questioning and renewal, underscoring our dynamic and ever-evolving understanding of American history.