The arts have long been influenced heavily by pain and rich history. By 1900, African Americans had already contributed greatly to the arts, particularly in music, in spite of society as a whole doing little to protect their expression and representation. The items listed here are meant to highlight that pre-1900 influence which has lasted and inspired change long after 1900. Shown in these artifacts are examples of music before African American influence, a technological luxury which only the most affluent could afford, excluding the majority of African Americans, one of the most popular instruments among pre-1900 African American musicians, and a tradition of necessity, art, and creation long-treasured among African American families.Regina Music Box “Regina Music Box Video,” Vermilionville Educational Enrichment Program, Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park collections. In 1901, you could only find a music box at a music store or jeweler store. They cost about $50 which is equivalent to $1200 today. Individual discs also known as tune sheets are punctured to form the patterns of the tunes. As the music box is hand-cranked, the punctures are plucked creating the sound of the note. In this time, most music was diverse as it wasn't how it is today, most tones had native sounds as its base. A lot of music back then was sung more than instrumental as it went with the native environment they were in. Primary Sources Wright, Thomas, A Smile from the Youth that I Love. Lyrics by Elizabeth Wright. G. Willig, 1798 and 1804. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015562608/ Krimmel, John Lewis. Barroom Dance, ca. 1820. drawing : watercolor ; 20.8 x 27.9 cm (sheet). From the Library of Congress. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.22808/ Secondary Source Ostendorf, Ann. “Music in the Early American Republic.” Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.oah.org/tah/issues/2019/february/music-in-the-early-american-republic/. Music in the Early American Republic | The American Historian Violin “Violin,” Vermilionville Educational Enrichment Program, Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park collections. This maple and spruce wood violin had four strings and was homemade before 1901. It was used for leisure activity as well as something to be educated on. A fiddle and a violin are often considered the same instrument. However, the distinction can be found in the way the instrument is played and the style of music performed. Using instruments like the violin is what helped form and blend African and European music together. Primary Sources Lomax, Alan, Photographer. “Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad ‘Baston’ accompanied by a musician on violin, Lafayette, La.” Photograph. Lafayette, LA. From the Library of Congress: Lomax Collection, 1934-1950. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2007660071/. Secondary Sources Lewis, Steven. “Musical Crossroads: African American Influence on American Music.” Smithsonian Music, December 15, 2018. https://music.si.edu/story/musical-crossroads. Musical Crossroads: African American Influence on American Music Quilts “Quilt Clamp,” Vermilionville Educational Enrichment Program, Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park collections. Quilts were created as a source of income and as a source of joy at home. Advancements in fabric and sewing technologies have had a large impact on quilting. Depending on social status, some families made quilts for pleasure while others depending on these quilts for survival. A lot of African American women made story quilts to document their history and have something to be proud of and pass down. Primary Sources Kilburn, B. W. , Publisher, Kilburn, B. W, photographer. Quilt exhibit, interior of Negro building, Atlanta Exposition. Atlanta Georgia, ca. 1896. Littleton, N.H.: Photographed and Published by B. W. Kilburn. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019647151/. Secondary Source: Robinson, Shantay. November. “The Quilting Tradition.” BLACK ART IN AMERICA™, November 9, 2018. https://www.blackartinamerica.com/index.php/2018/11/09/the-quilting-tradition/. References
“Grade 3 Social Studies: Year-Long Overview,” Revised Summer 2020. https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/scope-and-sequence/updated-social-studies-sample-scope-and-sequence-grade-3.pdf?sfvrsn=bf478f1f_21 “African American Dance, a Brief History,” September 27, 2020. https://aaregistry.org/story/african-american-dance-a-brief-history/. Lewis, Steven. “Musical Crossroads: African American Influence on American Music.” Smithsonian Music, December 15, 2018. https://music.si.edu/story/musical-crossroads. Lomax, Alan, Photographer. “Stavin’ Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad ‘Baston’ accompanied by a musician on violin, Lafayette, La.” Photograph. Lafayette, LA. From the Library of Congress: Lomax Collection, 1934-1950. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2007660071/. |
