Items
Subject is exactly
African American History
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African Labor in the United States
Complex assemblage that primarily revolves around a tall oxidized pole with two horizontal arms, mounted so it swivels from its base. Down the pole is painted "AFRICAN" and across an attached metal beam is painted "LABOR IN USA." Attached to the top arm are three crutches. Attached to the second arm are chains interwoven with multiple oxidized laboring implements including a metal iron, a white hard hat, and coal mining tools. A grated iron board is propped against the primary pole, from which rests additional tools of the trade including a shovel, an additional ironing board (one for a mother and one for a daughter), a metal pail, a lunch box, a sewing machine, and a hoe. When describing the sculpture, Minter calls attention to the memory of the black labor handling these tools, feeling their spirit and their exploitation. -
African Inventions in America and Africans in Science and Medicine
Assemblage. Large sheet of metal with white painted writing. Medical crutch attached to the top of metal sign, with a fragment of silver metal attached to the base of the crutch. On the recto, "African Inventions in America," numerous names, dates, and inventions are listed. The sign reads: "AFRICAN INVENTIONS / IN / AMERICA / THIS LIST IS JUST A FEW / 195 PATENTS / GRANTED / BETWEEN / 1871-1899 / OVER / 1,000 / PATENTS / BY 1913 / A.J. BEARD - JENNY COUPIER [sic] 1897 / ROTARY ENGINE 1892 / G.T. WOODS 150 INVENTION STEAM BOILER FURNACE 1884 / ELECTRIRAILWAY 1901 / TELEGRAPHY 1887 / R.B.S. PIKES AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT 1932 / TRANSMISSION SHIFT 1933 / MULTIPLE BARREL MACHINE GUN 1940 / J. MATZELIGER AUTOMATIC SHOE LAST MACHINE 1891 / F.M. JONES AIR CONDITION UNIT / 2-CYCLE 1950, REFRIGERATED TRUCK 1949 / GAS ENG / BOX CAR 1957." Bottom four lines of text are unreadable. On the verso, "Africans in Science and Medicine," Joe Minter documents Vivian Sammons research in the Library of Congress. The sign highlights selections from the book, reading: "BOOK / BY / VIVIAN / SAMMONS / AFRICANS IN / SCIENCE & MEDICINE / MORE THAN 1,500 /AFRICAN contribution / CESAR (SLAVE MED. PrATITIONER CURE / RATTLE SNAKE / BITE 1700 / C.R. DREW PHYS SUG FON BLOOD BANK 1904 / 1950 / B.O. DAVIS SR FRIST AFRICAN GEN ARMY 1877-1970 / B.O. DAVIS JR WEST POINT AIR FORCE 1912 / 1856-1940 / E.J. BULLARD AVIATOR 189-1961 / G.W. CARVER AGRICOLUTRIST 1864-1943 / B. BANNEKER SURVEYOR 1731-1806 / W.A. RAYFIEIL [sic] ARCHITECT / R. ARRINGTON JR. ZOOLOGIST 1934 / BLUFORD G.S. Jr. ASTRONAUTS /BOldEN C.S., GREGORY F.d., LAWrENCE R.H. JR. / DWIGHT E. J., JEMISON M.C., MCNAIR R.E."