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Administering a gallery of democratic practices, and demanding high quality, the Barnett-Aden gallery welcomed artists of every race, creed, and color. The first private gallery in the metropolitan area to break the color barrier and to display integrated shows, Barnett-Aden exhibited the work of Gene Davis, I. Rice Pereira, Morris Louis, Elizabeth Catlett, Charles White, Lois Jones, Jack Perlmutter, and Theodoros Stamos, to mention a few. Chartered in 1947, it was a recognized cultural institution dedicated to the preservation of the fine arts. The early years of the institution were not without difficulties, owing primarily to a lack of substantial financial support.* (B-A catalogue 11) But with the aid of a number of friends, the Barnett-Aden Gallery became an exciting cultural component of the Washington, D.C. art community, bringing art within reach of the entire public.*

The nation's capital was not the egalitarian society one would expect. Still impeded by racism, African American men and women were subjected to segregated churches, public institutions, transportation, museums and galleries. But Washington, D.C.was a virtual treasure trove of artists. Now, the Howard University Gallery of Art, and the Barnett-Aden Gallery provided a forum for known and unknown artists regardless of race. One of the first galleries to exhibit modern American art, the Barnett-Aden was critical to the forward movement of Alma Thomas and the development of her professional career. Her opportunity to interact with numerous contemporary artists from across the 

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