Fighting for freedom: Black craftspeople and the pursuit of independence

Uittreksel

"As the companion to the exhibition, Fighting for Freedom places Black craftspeople at the forefront of American history, from before the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and beyond Reconstruction. Delving into diverse narratives of creativity, resilience, and triumph in the quest for freedom, this book underscores the evolution of freedom through the lens of material culture-by exploring how the very concept of freedom was shaped and redefined by enslaved and free craftspeople who relentlessly fought for their rights and the recognition of their humanity. Featuring ten essays by leading historians, museum curators, and material culture scholars and more than seventy color photographs of Black artistry, including paintings, metalwork, woodwork, pottery, and furniture, this book vividly illustrates how Black men and women persistently sought tangible expressions of liberty [i.e., their art] which have endured as symbols of their creators' legacies in the ongoing struggle for freedom. Contributors include Lauren Applebaum, Robell Awake, Lydia Blackmore, Aleia M. Brown, R. Ruthie Dibble, Philippe L. B. Halbert, Jennifer Van Horn, Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley, and Susan J. Rawles" -- Provided by publisher.

Inhoud

Foreword / Pamela Wright and Susan Metzger -- Preface / Carroll Van West -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Artist's statement / Robell Awake -- 2. Black decorative arts exhibitions, then and now / Tiffany N. Momon -- 3. Carving a vision of freedom: Edmonia Lewis and Black representation during the Fight for Emancipation / Lauren Applebaum -- 4. Crafting community : cabinetmakers of color from Saint-Domingue in New Orleans / Lydia Blackmore -- 5. Literacy as freedom : Dave the Potter and the act of inscribing / Susan J. Rawles -- 6. Considering the Black laundress as radical crafter / Aleia M. Brown -- 7. Bred to a good trade : enslaved furniture artisans in Philadelphia, 1750-1800 / Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley -- 8. Robert Duncanson, painter and glazier: enslaved and free Black men's artistic production in the early United States / Jennifer Van Horn -- 9. State craft: Robert K. Griffin and the Black American artisans of the Liberian Senate / R. Ruthie Dibble -- 10. Mestre de luy mesme : François Mentor, free silversmith of color in colonial Canada / Philippe L.B. Halbert -- Exhibition catalog of objects -- Selected bibliography -- Contributors -- Index.