Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working primarily with themes related to perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. He is the co-founder of For Freedoms, an artist-led organization that models and increases creative civic engagement, discourse and direct action.

Artist Quote about Duke Ellington School of the Arts Co-Founder Peggy Cooper Cafritz: “She was always very clear that her collection was not only important to her, but it had to live beyond her." Hank Willis Thomas, is a 1994 Duke Ellington graduate (Museum Studies Department) whose work Cafritz began collecting years ago.