From a freed slave to renowned authors, Adilah Barnes portrayed seven historically prominent African-American women to a packed audience at the Maintenance Shop.

Barnes, an award-winning stage actress, performed her one-woman act titled “I Am That I Am: Woman, Black” Tuesday evening. Spirituals, including “Wade in the Water” and others, rocked through the M-Shop at full volume to foreshadow the mood of the performance.

Barnes portrayed Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Zora Neale Hurston, Lorraine Hansberry, Mary McCleod, Angela Davis and Maya Angelou during her show. “I would say that there is a little bit of me in every one of them,” Barnes said during questions with the audience.

She said she feels connected with Hansberry because of her theatrical background and with McCleod because of her views on education.

Barnes said the character that is the most demanding for her is Hurston.

“The language is so different from what we are used to and is so fast,” she said. “I have to be the most alert and energetic.”

Throughout the performance, Barnes said, her goal is to be both educational and entertaining to audiences of all backgrounds.

Barnes wore all black as a basis of all the characters. For each character, Barnes added elements to enhance the character. As Truth, she wore a white apron, shawl and small reading glasses as she belted out “Ain’t I A Woman?”

As Tubman, Barnes used a 5-foot-tall walking stick to emphasize her tales as she “crossed the line to freedom” as a conductor for the underground railroad.

Barnes’ acting career started when she was 16 years old and took electives in drama during the summer. She was touring with the African-American Drama Country when she made her first stop at Iowa State in the mid-’80s.

“I love an audience that gives me gas to fuel me,” Barnes said after her performance.

She has been performing her one-woman show since 1990. Prior to her touring, Barnes played Anne Marie on ABC’s “Roseanne.”

In the future, Barnes said she would like to portray her mother as an eighth character in her production.