On View
Making a Way Gallery
Exhibition
Making a Way Out of No Way
Subject of
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., founded 1963
Morgan State University, American, founded 1867
Date
1963
Medium
wood, leather, paint
Dimensions
H x W x D: 36 × 9 × 1 in. (91.4 × 22.9 × 2.5 cm)
Description
A wooden Founders Paddle from the Iota Phi Theta fraternity at Morgan State College. Paddle is not proportioned like a functional paddle. Grip is rounded, and the shaft is extremely short. The blade of the paddle is the majority of the paddle's body. A light brown strip of leather is strung through a hole at the center of the grip and tied in a knot. Text and depictions etched horizontally on the paddle (paddle is meant to be oriented with the grip and shaft at the top, and the blade of the paddle at the bottom). All etched text is painted(?)/colored black. The Iota Phi Theta logo is etched at the top, just below the throat of the paddle, then below reading [I/F/T] written diagonally down towards the right. Below the greek letters reads [BUILDING A TRADITION,/NOT RESTING UPON ONE/ALBERT HICKS/LONNIE C. SPRUILL, JR./CHARLES BRISCOE/CHARLES BROWN/LOUIS HUDNELL/CHARLES GREGOARY/ELIAS DORSEY, JR./MICHAEL WILLIAMS/FRANK COAKLEY/JOHN SLADE/BARON LEWIS/IT TAKES A MAN/MORGAN STATE/COLLEGE/SEPTEMBER 19, 1963]. On the reverse of the paddle, a clear sticker with rounded edges read [Another New Creation By/University Apparel, Inc./Union, New Jersey/903-688-1(illegible)03].
Place used
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Type
memorabilia
Topic
Associations and institutions
Education
Fraternities
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
Local and regional
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
Object number
2014.191.5
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd555be6878-2881-4e13-bbcd-5f0ea9522c9e

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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