Manufactured by

Unidentified

Subject of

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908

Grays, Mattelia B., American

Medium

metal

Dimensions

1 1/16 x 7/8 x 1/8 in. (2.7 x 2.2 x 0.3 cm)

Type

logos

Date

1970

Description

An Alpha Kappa Alpha metal logo with a small metal loop attached to the top. The gold, circular pendant has a gavel embossed at the top. Text underneath the gavel reads “P I N / Personal Involvement Now.”

Topic

African American

Education

Sororities

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Historical Society of Washington, DC and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Object number

2013.133.2.19

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Manufactured by

Unidentified

Subject of

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908

Bernice Sumlin, American, born 1926

Medium

metal

Dimensions

1 1/8 x 7/8 x 1/8 in. (2.9 x 2.2 x 0.3 cm)

Type

logos

Date

1974

Description

An Alpha Kappa Alpha metal logo with a small metal loop attached to the top. The rectangular pendant has brass ivy vines over a yellowish background. At the top of the pendant is “SORORITY.” At the center of the pendant is “A K A” embossed vertically.

Topic

African American

Education

Sororities

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Historical Society of Washington, DC and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Object number

2013.133.2.20

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Manufactured by

Unidentified

Subject of

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908

Barbara Phillips, American, 1938 - 2013

Medium

metal

Dimensions

7/8 x 3/4 x 1/8 in. (2.2 x 1.9 x 0.3 cm)

Type

logos

Date

1978

Description

An Alpha Kappa Alpha metal logo with a small metal loop attached to the top. The pendant is a small circle that has a compass rose at center that divides the pendant’s face into four sections. The left section has a hand holding a diploma, the top section has a scale, the right section has a hand holding a gavel and the bottom section has a domed building.

Topic

African American

Education

Sororities

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Historical Society of Washington, DC and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Object number

2013.133.2.21

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Recorded by

The Last Poets, American, founded 1968

Owned by

El-Hadi, Suliaman, American, 1936 - 1995

Medium

plastic and tape

Dimensions

H x W x D: 2 9/16 × 4 × 1/2 in. (6.5 × 10.2 × 1.3 cm)

Type

audio cassettes

Place depicted

Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

April 29, 1978

Description

Black cassette tape with white and pink label. Handwritten information appears on both sides of cassette tape. Side 1 of cassette tape has handwritten information reading, [THE Last PoEts & M.P.C. At/AubuRn CoRRECtional Facility/#2/4-29-78]. Side 2 of cassette tape has handwritten information reading, [PoEts & M.P.C.].

Topic

African American

Hip hop (Music)

Prisons

Spoken word (Poetry)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Qaddafi El-Hadi in memory of Suliaman El-Hadi

Object number

2014.40.6

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Audio Recordings

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Unidentified

Owned by

Brown, James, American, 1933 - 2006

Medium

wool, metal

Dimensions

H x W: 61 x 28 in. (154.9 x 71.1 cm)

Type

costume

Date

1970-1989

Description

A black wool jumpsuit with sequined embellishments along the collar and waist. The letter "J" is spelled out with five sequined beads along the front of the collar. Each shoulder has six sequined beads along the top. The word "SEX" spelled out using sequined beads along the mid-section. The word is inside an oval that is also made using sequined beads. A zipper runs down the back.

Topic

African American

Clothing and dress

Funk (Music)

Sexuality

Soul (Music)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2008.7.4

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Clothing-Costume

Exhibition

Musical Crossroads

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

ANTA Theatre, American, founded 1925

Subject of

Long, Avon, American, 1910 - 1984

Premice, Josephine, American, 1926 - 2001

Reed, Vivian

Attles, Joseph, American, 1903 - 1990

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 9 1/4 x 5 7/8 in. (23.5 x 14.9 cm)

Type

theater programs

Date

March 1976

Description

Playbill for Bubbling Brown Sugar. White background with yellow box at top, graphic center with female dancer with feathers at waist and shoulder and a male above wearing a hat and playing a trombone. [PLAYBILL/ ANTA THEATRE/ Bubbling BROWN SUGAR] White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1976. Light crease down center.

Topic

African American

Blues (Music)

Broadway Theatre

Jazz (Music)

Musical Theatre

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.17

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

Palace Theatre, American, founded 1913

Subject of

Ayler, Ethel, American, born 1934

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Crudup, Carl

DeMaio, Peter, American

Foster, Frances, American, 1924 - 1997

Gunn, Moses, 1929 - 1993

Drake-Hooks, Bebe

League, Janet, American

McKay, Anthony, American, born 1965

Myers, Lou, American, born 1945

Turner, Douglas, born 1930

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (22.5 x 14.3 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1975

Description

Playbill for The First Breeze of Summer. White background with yellow box at top; white box below, graphic of woman in a dress holding a purse while standing in front of a fence and a tree. [PLAYBILL/PALACE THEATRE/ the first breeze of summer]. White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1975.

Topic

African American

Broadway Theatre

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.29

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

Booth Theatre, American, founded 1913

Subject of

Little, Cleavon, American, 1939 - 1992

Irving, George S, American, born 1922

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 9 1/4 x 5 7/8 in. (23.5 x 14.9 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

March 1975

Description

Playbill for All Over Town. White background with yellow box at top, graphic center of a skyline and "ALL OVER TOWN'" in black above the skyline. [PLAYBILL/ THE BOOTH THEATRE/ ALL OVER TOWN] White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1975.

Topic

African American

Broadway Theatre

Comedy (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.4

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Subject of

Kani, John, South African, born 1943

Ntshona, Winston, South African, born 1941

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 9 x 5 5/8 in. (22.9 x 14.3 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1975

Description

Playbill for Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island. White background with yellow box at top; graphic below of two men, one standing and one seated; a film camera sits on a tripod beside them. [PLAYBILL/EDISON THEATRE/SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD/AND/THE ISLAND] White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1975.

Topic

African American

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.46

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photograph by

Danska, Herbert, American, born 1927

Subject of

Luciano, Felipe, American, born 1948

Kain, Gylan, American

Nelson, David, American

Medium

photographic gelatin and silver on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W (Image and sheet): 5 x 7 in. (12.7 x 17.8 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Date

1971

Description

A black-and-white photograph of The Last Poets. The image features from left to right, Gylan Kain, Felipe Luciano, and David Nelson. Kain is pictured seated, in profile, wearing a light colored shirt. Luciano is pictured standing, center, in a dark-colored turtleneck with his proper right fist raised in a black power gesture. Nelson is pictured standing, in profile, wearing a leather jacket.

On the verso is a stamped inscription reading [ "RIGHT ON!" / A FILM BY HERBERT DANSKA / WRITTEN BY AND STARRING / KAIN | DAVID NELSON | FELIPE LUCIANO / A WOODIE KING JR. PRODUCTION / A LEACOCK PENNEBAKER RELEASE / cable: FILMAKERS, U.S.A.].

Topic

African American

Film

Hip hop (Music)

Photography

Spoken word (Poetry)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Herbert Danska

Object number

2012.38.1

Restrictions & Rights

© Herbert Danska

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Exhibition

Represent: Hip Hop Photography

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Second Floor, 2 050

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Earl G. Graves Publishing Co., Inc., American, founded 1969

Subject of

Black Enterprise, American, founded 1970

Medium

ink on paper (fiber product) with metal

Dimensions

H x W x D: 11 × 8 1/4 × 1/4 in. (27.9 × 21 × 0.6 cm)

H x W x D (Open): 11 × 16 × 1/4 in. (27.9 × 40.6 × 0.6 cm)

Type

magazines (periodicals)

Date

1973

Description

An issue of Black Enterprise magazine, June 1973, Volume 3, No. 11. The front cover is gray with black type at the top that reads: [June/1973 / BLACK / ENTERPRISE]. Red type, underneath the magazine’s name, reads: [THE NATION'S 100 TOP BLACK BUSINESSES]. The middle of the cover displays a color illustration of a three men's face with various colors of green lines attaching them together, on a yellow graph paper background. The corners of the image are curved. There is a black ink stamp, stamped diagonally across the title that reads: [CANCELLED]. In the top right corner there is another black ink stamp that reads: [GLENVILLE BRANCH]. A white sticker, with black type, is positioned vertically in the bottom left corner. The stamp reads: [CLEVE660PAA BE 221 / 296311 OO 1 JUN 7306 / CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY / GLENVILLE BRANCH H41 / 660 PARKWOOD DR / CLEVELAND OH 44108].The interior pages, 142 in total, are off-white paper with black type. The pages contain both black-and-white and color images and drawings. The content of the magazine covers economic articles, a letter from President Richard Nixon, and advertisements. The back cover is an advertisement for KOOL Filter Kings cigarettes, and has a color image of a man with a cigarette in his proper left hand with a lake and trees in the background, and super imposed over his stomach. Black text at the top reads: [TIRED OF HOT TASTE?] and white text in the middle of the image reads: [COME ALL THE WAY UP TO KOOL. / AMERICA'S #1 SELLING MENTHOL.].

Topic

African American

Business

Mass media

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2014.76.15

Restrictions & Rights

© Black Enterprise Magazine. Permission required for use.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Donaldson, Jeff, American, 1932 - 2004

Subject of

AfriCOBRA, founded 1968

Medium

paint, foil, and ink on cardboard

Dimensions

H x W (artwork): 36 1/4 × 25 9/16 in. (92 × 65 cm)

H x W x D (frame): 38 1/16 × 27 7/16 × 1 3/4 in. (96.7 × 69.7 × 4.5 cm)

Type

paintings

mixed media

Date

1971

Description

This mixed media artwork by Jeff Donaldson shows the Wives of Sango. Three women are visible in the painting. The woman in the center is facing outward dressed in white. The other two women are in 3/4 profile facing either side of the frame. The woman on the left is dressed in shades of red and pink with a silver-colored diamond patterned neckline with small cutouts. The woman on the right is wearing a headband and is dressed in shades of green and yellow. All three women have gold- and silver-colored foil accents and are wearing weaponry including knives and ammunition belts. At the bottom in silver-colored foil is text that reads [OYA · OSUN / AND OBA WIVES OF SANGO]. At the center bottom is a double headed axe symbol. The artist signed the work at the bottom. The artwork is floating in a white frame.

Topic

African American

Africa

African diaspora

Art

Black power

Religion

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2017.33.1

Restrictions & Rights

© Jeff Donaldson

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Visual Arts

On View

Tate Modern (Bankside)

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Donaldson, Jeff, American, 1932 - 2004

Subject of

Jackson, Jonathan, American, 1953 - 1970

Haley, Harold Joseph, American, 1904 - 1970

Black Panther Party, American, 1966 - 1982

AfriCOBRA, founded 1968

Medium

paint on cardboard with ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W (artwork): 29 1/8 × 19 5/16 in. (74 × 49 cm)

H x W x D (frame): 31 1/8 × 21 3/16 × 1 3/4 in. (79.1 × 53.8 × 4.5 cm)

Type

paintings

mixed media

Place depicted

San Rafael, Marin County, California, United States, North and Central America

Date

1970

Description

This mixed media work is Jeff Donaldson's interpretation of a photograph taken of the 1970 Marin County courthouse incident. The original newspaper photograph and caption can be seen in the center of the image. The figure on the left in the artwork has his left hand outstretched and the source image in the palm of his hand. In the original photograph, the man on the left is James McClain. In both images, he is holding a gun in his right hand at eye level pointed toward the figure on the right. Unlike McClain in the newspaper photograph, the man in the painting is wearing a black and white horizontally striped shirt with white numbers, [81970], on a black strip reminiscent of prison clothing. He is also wearing tan pants and a white jacket.

The figure on the right in the original image is California Superior Court Judge Harold Haley dressed in black court dress robes. In Donaldson's mixed media piece, the black robes are partially visible but Haley's figure has a skull in place of his head and is reaching toward the man on the left. The piece is multicolored. In the center is black text on a white background that reads [GLASS] and repeats [-SS] below. To the left of the skull is [A] in the stars and stripes pattern of the American flag. The artist signed the work at the bottom. The artwork is floating in a white frame.

Topic

African American

Art

Black power

Law

Mass media

Prisons

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2017.33.2

Restrictions & Rights

© Jeff Donaldson

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Visual Arts

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Written by

Baldwin, James, American, 1924 - 1987

Published by

Los Angeles Times, founded 1881

Medium

ink on paper (fiber product)

Type

clippings

Date

1976

Description

A copy of a 1976 commentary in the Los Angeles Times titled, "Looking for the Bicentennial Man." The article discusses Baldwin's views on the state of the United States 200 years after its independence. Baldwin was invited by the LA Times to write this article while residing in the South of France.

Transcription Center Status

Transcribed by digital volunteers

Topic

African American

Communication

Literature

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of The Baldwin Family

Object number

2011.99.13

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Published Works

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Manufactured by

Converse, American, founded 1908

Worn by

Julius Erving, American, born 1950

Signed by

Julius Erving, American, born 1950

Received by

"Doc" Stanley, American

Subject of

Philadelphia 76ers, American, founded 1963

Medium

leather, rubber and cloth

Dimensions

H x W (2015.115.1a left): 7 × 4 1/2 in. (17.8 × 11.4 cm)

H x W (215.115.1b right): 7 3/16 × 4 1/2 in. (18.3 × 11.4 cm)

Type

sneakers

Date

ca. 1981

Description

A pair of white and red Converse sneakers worn and autographed by Julius Erving. The sneakers are predominantly white with red stars and red chevrons on both sides. Printed in red ink on the outward facing side of the shoes is: [DR J]. The laces are white and run from the edge of the vamp to the top of the tongue. The tongue is white with red lettering that reads: [All Star / Converse].The interior is red. The back top portion of the shoe has a red background with the Converse logo in red and white. The rubber soles are white with a thatched pattern and an imprint that reads: [Converse / All Star / Made In USA]. Both sneakers are signed in black ink on the outward facing side. The proper left side of the left shoe (2015.115.1a) has Erving's signature and reads: [Julius Erving / # 6]. The proper right side of the right shoe (2015.115.1b) reads: [To Mel from / "Dr J" 3/81].

Topic

African American

Athletes

Basketball

Clothing and dress

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2015.115.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Clothing-Historical

Tools and Equipment-Sports and Recreational

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture