An art exhibition celebrating women’s vital role in democracy – and the hard work it took to get there – opens May 15 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum with a presentation by artist Niki Johnson.
The mixed-media portraits in Johnson’s “Pillars of Democracy” present the figures of Liberty, Justice, Freedom, and Forward as voters holding signs with sayings such as “Liberty, Autonomy, Equity.” The portraits mix past and present. Their style was inspired by a 1911 women’s suffrage poster, and they were made with materials left from a 2020 mural by Shepard Fairey called “Voting Rights are Human Rights.”
The portraits will be on display weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the ALPLM’s library building at 112 N. Sixth 6th Street, Springfield, from Friday, May 15, to Friday, May 29. Admission to the library is free.
The show opens with a free presentation by Johnson. She will share insights into her creative process and the themes behind the exhibition, followed by guided discussion and creative reflection around democracy, equity, and civic participation. The free artist talk and hands-on activities take place in the library at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 15. Complimentary coffee and pastries will be offered to attendees.
Johnson will also present a special artist workshop during the 2026 Springfield Old Capitol Art Fair in downtown Springfield. Designed for teens and adults, the free interactive workshop invites participants to explore identity, voice, and civic engagement through art and conversation. It takes place on the lawn of the Old State Capitol from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16. In the event of inclement weather, the workshop will be moved indoors to the Old State Capitol’s Law Library Room.
The Springfield stop on the “Pillars of Democracy: Unite & Rise Tour” is made possible through a collaboration between the League of Women Voters of Illinois Education Fund, Illinois Humanities, Healing Illinois and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov.
