An exhibit that highlights the history of Black feminists in D.C. opens Thursday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library downtown, celebrating the accomplishments of Black women activists from the turn of the 20th century through today. A grand opening ceremony Thursday evening will feature talks from historians and D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is represented in the exhibit herself.

The free exhibit is the result of a partnership between the D.C. Public Library and the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) and represents the non-profit organization’s first physical exhibition space. The museum has operated as a virtual “museum without walls” since its founding in 1996, and has office space in Alexandria. It is separate from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum coming to the National Mall with pending congressional approval for the exact location. (Congress authorized the creation of the Smithsonian museum and National Museum of the American Latino in December 2020.)

Visitors to the library (901 G St NW) can find the exhibit, titled “We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC,” by going through the far-left doors in the “Great Hall” lobby. The exhibit is located behind the help desk and printers on the lefthand side.

“We Who Believe in Freedom” features biographies of two dozen women activists whose work in D.C. impacted the nation, such as educator Mary McLeod Bethune and civil rights leader Dorothy Height. Ten of the women’s stories will be accompanied by audio recordings of their voices. Historians Sherie M. Randolph, of Georgia Tech, and Kendra T. Field, of Tufts University, curated the exhibit.

Women-owned firm Tessellate Studios designed the exhibit using large panels and 3-D shadowboxes with enlarged images to highlight the Black feminists and their stories.

The exhibit will be on display at the MLK Library through Sept. 15, 2024.

A grand opening ceremony begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 30 with remarks from D.C. Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan, NWHM Board Chair Susan Whiting, and Eleanor Holmes Norton. D.C.-based singer Rochelle Rice will perform at 6 p.m., and D.C. Central Kitchen will provide snacks. The event is free, but registration is recommended.