Owned by
Wallace, Herman, American, 1941 - 2013
Manufactured by
Unidentified
Subject of
Keefe Group, LLC, American
Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, American, founded 1835
Date
after 1972
Medium
plastic
Caption
Wallace was an avid chess player. The collection includes homemade and mass produced chess boards and pieces. He wrote that he saw the game as a powerful humanizing force which helped him and fellow inmates use their minds towards a positive and productive pursuit. Wallace used the game to strategically inspire camaraderie, eliminate violence, and establish a network of empowerment, entirely lacking in an environment purposefully inhumane and hopeless. The repurposed rice bag as storage shows Wallace's creative remaking and adjustment of the items available to him.
Description
A plastic rice bag repurposed to hold chess pieces by Herman Wallace while incarcerated at Angola Prison. The bag is a blue, resealable, plastic Keefe Kitchens Quality Products bag and holds a set of 17 white chess pieces and 17 black chess pieces. On the front of the bag in large yellow and white text is: [ENRICHED / PRE-COOKED / LONG GRAIN / RICE / READY IN 5 MINUTES / NO BOILING REQUIRED / NET WT. 8OZ (228G)]. On the reverse of the bag are nutrition facts.
Place used
Angola, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Herman Wallace Archival Collection
Classification
Toys and Games
Type
chessmen
make-dos
Topic
American South
Men
Mental health
Prisons
Recreation
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Maria Hinds
Object number
A2018.36.1.13.5
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd566d4dbfb-8259-42bd-882f-0771f4723155

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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