- Photograph by
- Unidentified
- Subject of
- Markham, Dewey, American, 1904 - 1981
- Date
- 1936
- Medium
- silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
- Dimensions
- H x W (Image and sheet): 9 15/16 × 8 in. (25.3 × 20.3 cm)
- Description
- A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham depicted in blackface and shown in profile. Markham is wearing a boater hat, oxfords, and a dark suit with medium toned embellishments on the lapels, breast pocket, side pocket, wrists and pant seam. He has large, white painted lips. He is crouched over with his fists clenched and appears to be walking forward. He is posing in front of a wall, with a staircase visible in the left background. The front of the image has been marked in pencil with crop lines. There are several inscriptions in pencil on the back, including a paragraph about Markham on the bottom half that reads [The Personification of Trucking / -Cut- / Pigmeat Markham / Known the country over today / as the greatest living colored / Comedian. At present Pigmeat is / in his second successful / week in philadelphia where / this month he began what will / develop into 40 wk of truckin and / what have you.].
- Statement
- Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
- Place captured
- New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- The Laura Cathrell Show-Down Magazine Collection
- Classification
- Media Arts-Photography
- Racist and Stereotypical Objects
- Type
- gelatin silver prints
- portraits
- Topic
- Actors
- Blackface
- Dance
- Entertainers
- Photography
- Singers (Musicians)
- Stereotypes
- Theatre
- Vaudeville
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2013.46.25.2
- Restrictions & Rights
- Unknown - Restrictions Possible
- Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.