Celebrating the Legacy of Elizabeth Freeman: Student Exhibition in Great Barrington
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About
This installation is the culmination of a collaborative, community-engaged project supported through CACP's Community Engaged Coursework program. The partnership brought together Professor Irena Roman's Professional Illustration for the Community course and staff and scholars from the Du Bois Freedom Center and UMass Amherst to explore the life and enduring legacy of Elizabeth Freeman through art, history, and public engagement.
The permanent kiosk will be installed at the site of the original courtroom where Freeman’s case was heard, now the Great Barrington Town Hall, Designed to invite visitors into Freeman's remarkable story, the interactive installation demonstrates how public art and history can inspire new conversations about justice, freedom, and equity.
A highlight of the project is the work of MassArt students, whose historically informed illustrations reimagine Elizabeth Freeman's life beyond the single historical portrait most often associated with her. Following a selection process led by the Du Bois Freedom Center, works by Abby Glover ('27) and Emma (Sunny) Sunnerberg ('27) were selected for the permanent kiosk.
Visitors are also encouraged to experience the companion exhibition, Elizabeth Freeman: Reimagined!, on view at the Du Bois Freedom Center, just steps from the kiosk at 309 Main Street, Great Barrington.
On view July 17–October 30, 2026, the exhibition features illustrations by all sixteen students from Professor Roman's Professional Illustration for the Community course, celebrating the creativity, research, and historical storytelling that made this collaboration possible.
Together, the kiosk and exhibition demonstrate the power of community-engaged learning and public art to bring history into the present. As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary, Elizabeth Freeman's extraordinary story reminds us that democracy has always been a work in progress, and that it continues to be shaped by those who fight to ensure its promises of liberty, justice, and equality are applied to all.
Learn more: https://www.duboisfreedomcenter.org/elizabeth-freeman-exhibit
The permanent kiosk will be installed at the site of the original courtroom where Freeman’s case was heard, now the Great Barrington Town Hall, Designed to invite visitors into Freeman's remarkable story, the interactive installation demonstrates how public art and history can inspire new conversations about justice, freedom, and equity.
A highlight of the project is the work of MassArt students, whose historically informed illustrations reimagine Elizabeth Freeman's life beyond the single historical portrait most often associated with her. Following a selection process led by the Du Bois Freedom Center, works by Abby Glover ('27) and Emma (Sunny) Sunnerberg ('27) were selected for the permanent kiosk.
Visitors are also encouraged to experience the companion exhibition, Elizabeth Freeman: Reimagined!, on view at the Du Bois Freedom Center, just steps from the kiosk at 309 Main Street, Great Barrington.
On view July 17–October 30, 2026, the exhibition features illustrations by all sixteen students from Professor Roman's Professional Illustration for the Community course, celebrating the creativity, research, and historical storytelling that made this collaboration possible.
Together, the kiosk and exhibition demonstrate the power of community-engaged learning and public art to bring history into the present. As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary, Elizabeth Freeman's extraordinary story reminds us that democracy has always been a work in progress, and that it continues to be shaped by those who fight to ensure its promises of liberty, justice, and equality are applied to all.
Learn more: https://www.duboisfreedomcenter.org/elizabeth-freeman-exhibit
