The Cook Foundation and the Fairfield Foundation exhibit, “Everyday People: Through Freedom’s Lens, An Exhibition of Rare Photographs by Freedom B. Goode,” opened Tuesday at the Gloucester Fine Arts Museum, 6894 Main Street.
The exhibit, curated in collaboration with members of the descendent black community led by Deborah Billups, Dr. David Brown and Dr. Mueller-Heubach of the Fairfield Foundation, and Elizabeth Blackney of the Cook Foundation, brings light to untold stories of the black community in Gloucester during one of the most pivotal eras in American history: the Civil Rights movement.
This exhibit features unseen photographs by Freedom B. Goode, a local leader and documentarian, capturing the resilience, courage, and grassroots leadership of Gloucester’s black citizens as they navigated a landscape of segregation, integration and the fight for equality.
“It is an honor to be associated with Freedom B. Goode. We are proud to be a part of the curation and exhibition of his remarkable photography. Preserving his perspective of this transformative period in American history is important not just for understanding Gloucester’s past, but our nation’s,” noted Brown.
The exhibition explores the nuanced history of civil rights in a rural southern community, amplifying voices that were often marginalized in the national narrative. By showcasing Goode’s photography and contributions to the Civil Rights movement—a nuanced and honest window depicts life in Gloucester County, once a county that had the highest per capita land ownership by black families in the country. His bracing photographs were taken even as others in Gloucester were making national headlines, such as the historic 1946 Supreme Court victory of Irene Morgan, the integration of public schools, and the enduring legacy of black institutions like the Woodville Rosenwald School.
“Participating in the development of the Freedom B. Goode exhibit has been a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to the completed project,” Billups noted. “Many thanks to the Goode family, the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, the Fairfield Foundation, and members of the community who helped make this possible.”
The Fine Arts Museum is located in Main Street Center adjacent to Dollar General. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through May 2025.
Images from the exhibit, “Everyday People Through Freedom’s Lens, An Exhibition of Rare Photographs by Freedom B. Goode,” which opened in the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester on Tuesday. The exhibit is presented by The Cook Foundation and the Fairfield Foundation. The exhibit will be up through May 2025.
Shown here is a replica of Freedom B. Goode’s desk. On the desk is a replica of his camera as well as his actual films.