Manufactured by
Unidentified
Subject of
Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, American, founded 1835
Date
after 1972
Medium
plastic and metal wire
Dimensions
H x W x D: 7 5/16 × 1 3/16 × 1/2 in. (18.5 × 3 × 1.3 cm)
Caption
This spoon with an improvised elongated handle is evidence of the deprivation and physical severity of prison life and shows Wallace's ingenuity in devising innovative solutions to make his daily life slightly more comfortable.
Description
A repurposed plastic spoon created by Herman Wallace while incarcerated at Angola Prison. The white plastic spoon is elongated using the brown handle of another broken utensil, sewn together with wire. Small manufacturer’s engravings on the backs of the spoon read “U.S.A.” (white spoon) and “20 NIB” (brown handle).
Place used
Angola, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Herman Wallace Archival Collection
Classification
Tools and Equipment
Type
spoons
make-dos
Topic
American South
Cooking and dining
Men
Prisons
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Maria Hinds
Object number
A2018.36.1.9
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5093f4279-a237-4bb5-adfa-401475fc3468

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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