Freedom and Resistance: An Exhibition | MLK Library | January 16–March 15, 2026
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, the DC Public Library presents Freedom and Resistance: An Exhibition Inspired by The 1619 Project. The exhibition features three sections, created in collaboration with the editors of The New York Times Magazine and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and educators from The Pulitzer Center. Throughout, visitors can explore connections between the experiences of Black Americans and the ideals of American freedom.
Section 1 | Artworks from "The 1619 Project: A Visual Experience"
Section 2 | Echoes of 1619: Freedom and Resistance in Washington, D.C.
This sectionof the exhibition, guest curated by Dominique Hazzard and designed by Art Dept., traces the deep local connections between the first enslaved Africans brought to Point Comfort in 1619 and the lives of Washingtonians today. As Nikole Hannah-Jones writes in The 1619 Project, “Black Americans have also been, and continue to be, foundational to the idea of American freedom.”
This exhibition section explores three themes that illuminate that truth through a D.C. lens.
- Origins considers our region’s proximity to the site where enslaved people were first brought our this country, and the foundational experiences of people enslaved in Maryland and the early capital.
- Resistance examines the enduring struggle for political power and the city’s unique legacy of disenfranchisement.
- Freedom highlights Washington as a crucial hub for free Black communities and a first refuge in the North.
Section 3 | Freedom and Resistance: Through the Eyes of D.C. Youth
DC Public Library and the Pulitzer Center invited all middle and high school student artists in the District to submit original artwork responding to the ideas of Freedom and Resistance.
Students were invited to consider the struggles for justice in the nation’s capital, specifically, such as the 1968 uprisings after Dr. King’s assassination; the activism and leadership of city policy makers, organizers, and creators; the statehood movement; and Black Lives Matter protests that filled D.C. streets in recent years, in their submitted artworks. Students were also required to explore at least one of several suggested texts, videos, or photo news stories that explore the exhibition themes.
Upcoming Events
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Trans-Atlantic Soundscapes
Enhance your experience with Trans-Atlantic Soundscapes: A Journey Through Charted Waters by DMV DJs.
As you move through the exhibit, let sound guide your reflection. DC Public Library, in-collaboration with author and music curator Adrian Loving, presents a series of soundscapes developed by local DMV DJs that creatively map a diasporic history from Africa through to the United States.
Learn more about the featured artists and access their soundscapes for personal listening through the link below.
Special Collections at the Library
The Black Studies Collection in the People's Archive
As you explore the exhibit, take in some of the special collections at the library related to the themes and works you're engaging with!
Founded as a division in 1972, the Black Studies Collection promotes the study and interpretation of the history and culture of people of the African Diaspora globally and within the United States. It includes a microfilm collection of historical Black publications, vertical files, vinyl records, videotape and over 20,000 books made available to all who are interested in Black Studies including students, educators, researchers and the general public.
Nonfiction for Adults
Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019
Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Fiction for Adults
Books for Teens
Books for Kids
