Five American Voices: Selections from the Freedom Place

Collection of Stuart Marshall Bloch and Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch

This exhibition showcased more than 30 paintings, watercolours, and collages by distinguished twentieth century African American artists, including Romare Bearden, Benny Andrews, Alma Woodsey Thomas, Robert Freeman, and Richard Yarde. The work featured is distinct yet grounded in the twentieth century African American experience. These artists became preeminent in their time and created expressionistic works drawing from their social environment.

The Freedom Place Collection was assembled, and is owned, by Washington residents Stuart Marshall Bloch, chairman of Congressional Bank, and Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, President of the US-China Education Trust. The Blochs have been collecting works of African American artists for more than 35 years. The name of the collection refers to the Freedom Place stop along the Underground Railroad, once located near where the Bloch’s home stands today.