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To contribute to this collective history project, send pictures and stories about the older women in your life to americanagefashion@gmail.com. The more information you can include (date, place, etc.), the better.-
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Tag Archives: African American
Maggie Walker and the St. Luke’s Penny Saving Bank
Maggie Lena Walker (1864-1934) is not a household name, but she made a huge difference in the lives of African Americans in the Richmond, Virginia area. In 1903, she was the first woman of any race to found a bank. … Continue reading
A Faith Ringgold Retrospective
Aren’t there times when you wished you lived in New York City? I wish I were there now to see the Faith Ringgold retrospective at the New Museum. It is the first comprehensive US retrospective of her work, beginning with … Continue reading
Posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Tagged African American, artist, New Jersey, New York, textiles, visual arts
1 Comment
The Black Women of California’s Central Valley
During the Great Depression, when waves of migrants came to California to escape the drought, Black cotton farmers were part of the population transfer. Some were recruited by California cotton growers, while others came on their own. More migrated after … Continue reading
Posted in 1960s
Tagged African American, California, hats/headcoverings, jewelry, shirtwaist
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The Black Women of Appalachia, 1920s
If you are looking for dignified portraits of older American women, sooner or later you will come across the work of Doris Ulmann (1882-1934). She started out as a celebrity photographer, but in the 1920s her life took a turn. … Continue reading
Burning the Mortgage, 1915
Photographs often document big moments in life—the wedding, the baby, the new house. A tradition in Black churches is to mark the end of mortgage payments, the moment when property finally belongs to the residents, with a mortgage burning ceremony. … Continue reading
Posted in 1910s
Tagged African American, colors, lace, Michigan, shirtwaist, special occasion
2 Comments
The Birmingham Project of Dawoud Bey
The Whitney Museum in New York City is currently showing the work of Dawoud Bey, an African American photographer with an inclusive eye. One of his most inventive works is the Birmingham Project of 2012, commemorating 50 years since the … Continue reading
Window Shopping in Mobile, Alabama, 1956
If the Facebook page “Mid Century in Color” is any indication, most amateur photographers using color film in the US in the mid twentieth century were white—and they created an image of an all-white America. Luckily, professional photographers of color … Continue reading
Unruly Seamstresses in the 1930s
The Works Project Administration (or WPA) is best known for funding murals and highways in the Great Depression. However, it also started programs aimed specifically at women. One was the WPA sewing project, which employed thousands women creating garments for … Continue reading
Posted in 1930s
Tagged African American, California, generations, Great Depression, hats/headcoverings, sewing, shoes
1 Comment
Easter Bonnet Luncheon, 1961
This photo comes from a very large archive of work by Charles “Teenie” Harris, housed at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburg. Harris was a staff photographer for the Pittsburgh Courier, a major African American newspaper in the mid … Continue reading
Posted in 1960s
Tagged African American, hats/headcoverings, holidays, Pennsylvania, women's organizations
2 Comments
Aminah Robinson–Life into Art
This stunning piece is a good introduction into the work of Columbus, Ohio artist Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson (1940-2015). Using the materials of daily life—paper, pencils, fabric, trim, and buttons, she creates stunning compositions. The mixed media creation above serves … Continue reading