Join us at the opening reception for Charles Eady’s Solo Exhibition, The Unscene South, on display in our gallery from January 15th through March 8th, 2026.

Artist Statement
My art is influenced by the population of Blacks who lived free in this country amidst pre-Civil War bondage.

Over a decade ago, I heard about “free Blacks” being in the pre-Civil War South, who were not merely traveling through with freedom papers. I had never heard of them living in the South and it was shocking. One of my initial findings was that they were counted on the first federal census of South Carolina in 1790.

Inspired to learn more, I began researching their story fifteen years ago and found further support that contradicted what I thought I knew. There were records of them challenging the judicial system and petitioning courts about diverse matters. The deeper I looked, the more evidence I found. Interestingly, there was proof that they preferred to live in the South over the North because they felt living circumstances were better in the South.

My core belief about the South was taken aback. My pursuit since then is to increase people’s awareness of them, and to give the truth of their existence a voice through my art.

Biography
Charles Eady is a mixed-media artist who merges contemporary art with historical documentation to explore overlooked stories of free Black communities in the pre-Civil War South. Born in South Carolina and now residing in Ocala, Florida, Eady graduated from Claflin University with a BA in Art Education. His work has been featured in both national and international competitions, and he has exhibited in a solo show at the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala—where his painting American Jockey, depicting an early Black jockey, is now in the permanent collection.

Eady’s painting Anna, named after a character in his book Hidden Freedom, won the 2021 ArtFields Grand Prize; he returned to ArtFields in 2022 as a judge. A former art educator at Belleview High School, Eady was one of only five recipients of the 2022 State Teaching Artist Residency (STAR) at the Hermitage Retreat, honoring exceptional Florida public school art instructors. Through historically grounded visuals, Eady strives to reframe early Southern narratives and foster greater social understanding. He is also an artist in the Puzzled Peace initiative, responding to the removal of African American history from Florida public schools and colleges.

Eady states, “my art is influenced by the population of Blacks who lived free in this country amidst pre-Civil War bondage. Over a decade ago, I heard about ‘free Blacks’ in the South—people counted on the first federal census of South Carolina in 1790, actively petitioning courts and challenging the judicial system—who were not merely passing through with freedom papers. This discovery took me by surprise and contradicted what I thought I knew. My pursuit since then has been to increase awareness of their story and to give the truth of their existence a voice through my art.”

In addition to his art practice, Eady authored Hidden Freedom: The South Before Racism, broadening the conversation about free Black communities and their legacy.