At an auction recently, I bought a box of ephemera listed as mid-20th century African American items. The lot was among several containing African-American history-related papers and documents, and I checked out each of them. Black…
Tag: black history
“Is that a numbers book?” the woman asked, smiling, knowing the answer but asking the question anyway. On her face, you could see the memories. It was same look I had seen on countless others…
It was a room full of black folks with, I’m sure, one collective thought: These white men looking down on us from their gold-framed pictures must be turning over in their graves. Not turning over just…
3 books by Elijah Muhammad
Posted in Beauty Products, and Books
The three books were in a box of other books under a table at the auction house, their spines upright and pointed towards me. They were dog-eared, as if someone had read them quite often and had barely put them…
Patterson-Greenfield in early car history book
Posted in Black history, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
When I first saw the bright yellow book with the red band and white lettering, I knew I had to check. Its title shouted out its contents loud and clear, so I was wondering if…
A taste of black history
Posted in Art, Black history, and Photos
One of the truly satisfying results of my auction finds are the pieces of African American history that I come across on the auction tables. From photographs to vintage records to books to artwork, each…
A 2nd look at red lips
Posted in Black history, collectibles, and pottery
I was nonchalantly perusing the shelves of glassware at one of my favorite auction houses yesterday when something stopped me. There on a middle shelf were five head vases, all with red lips. This grouping…
Beyonce rewrites the ‘red lips’ stereotype
Posted in Beauty Products, Black history, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Greeting cards
I was watching television one night recently when on screen popped Beyonce in a L’Oreal Paris commercial. Her lips were fire-red, and the lipstick seemed to be applied thickly, as if smeared on. Did her lips…
Why no one wants my dark-skinned doll
Posted in Black history, Dolls, and history
She has sat through several flea markets, this dark-complexioned wooden doll I got at auction a few years ago. She has watched as her companions – two light-colored fabric dolls in dresses with Asian script –…
Searching for J.N. Wilson’s stereoview cards
Posted in Black history, collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Photos
I got an email recently from a great-granddaughter of Savannah photographer J.N. (Jerome Nelson) Wilson, whose stereoview card of two black boys from the 19th century has been the subject of recent news stories. Tina Wilson…