These letters detail the story of Florida A&M’s collaboration with Michigan State University to develop a Nigeria-based outreach program at B. L. Perry, Jr.’s behest. They provide a glimpse into his interest, the successes of the program, especially from a student’s perspective, and the abrupt interruption of it due to geopolitical upheaval.
Onyeiwu’s drawing is of a young boy wearing a smirk on his face. Onyeiwu creates incredible, realistic portraits with fine details. Originally from Nigeria, Onyeiwu received his undergraduate arts degree from Texas Southern, and has since returned to teach drawing and painting classes at TSU.
A letter written to Dr. Moton, the Principle of Tuskegee University, then Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute that no official decision on the location for the military training camp has been decided. Mr. Parks also notes that the camp will be a center to test the physical and mental capacities of the negro recruits.
Excerpts from Carlos Marighella's Minimanual of the Guerilla. It lays out tactics for struggle against an oppressive state. Marighella, a Brazilian Marxist–Leninist revolutionary, published the book in 1969 and it became popular in revolutionary circles, including within Black Nationalistic circles in the United States.
Minnie Farish was born on Farish Street and lived her life there. Ms. Farish talks about her childhood on Farish Street and her time at Smith Robertson School and Lanier High School. She recounts the homes and businesses on Farish Street and talks extensively about her family. She also talks about what it was like living in the Jim Crow Era.
Minnie Ripley helped bring Head Start to Mayersville, Mississippi. She talks about her experiences in the Civil Rights Movement, including her story of registering to vote and being put in jail. She also recounts her position as chairwoman of the board of the Mayersville Head Start program, one of the earliest in Mississippi.
Minnie Wallace was born in Winston County, Mississippi, in 1910 and moved with her preacher father to Yazoo City, Mississippi, in 1929. She talks about her childhood, saying it was difficult because the family worked as sharecroppers. She also discusses her education through graduating from Jackson State College in 1943. Transcript is handwritten.
Minutes from a meeting of the New Afrikan Women’s Organization. Organizational plans to move forward with the new organization are discussed, especially in light of the vacuum left since 1971 in radical movements. Finances, future conferences, and methods of operation were also discussed in the meeting.
A thank you letter for Charles Gomillion on behalf of the Tuskegee Civic Association thanking Miss Stivers for the songs that were played at the past TCA meeting.
This sculpture is of an abstract side face profile, prominently featuring the nose and lips, with a large hand on one side of the sculpture. The oversized hand is an example of the influence of Dr. John Biggers’ style. This sculpture is two-toned due to varying levels of oxidation of the clay. The structure bears some resemblance to the Moai of Rapa Nui (also known as Easter Island heads).
Black and white image of an older Monroe N. Work. Mr. Work was an African American sociologist and founder of the Department of Records and Research at Tuskegee University, formerly known as Tuskegee Institute.
A four-page statement by Monroe N. Work to Lewis A. Jones about the origins of the field of Black studies, Work's initial involvement with the field, his activities at Tuskegee, and Work's sociological influences.
A 25-page academic paper about Monroe N. Work's activities as an African scholar over the course of his career. Contains direct quotes from Work's papers. At the time of writing, James Preston was an instructor of African history at Tuskegee.
A collaboration between the NAACP and Negro Alabama Progressive Democratic Association. These groups are informing the Black community of the importance of voting for Poll Tax Reduction Amendment.
A document that will show the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from the beginning of his career in 1955 to his assassination and funeral in 1968 will be available for one time only.
Charles McGee was an artist and educator from Clemson, SC. Moods of Martha is a portrait of a young Black woman sitting with her head down hiding her face. Her hair and skin are black and almost blend in with the black chair she sits in. She wears a bright flower dress that is mostly green with orange flowers.
Davis’s print is of an outhouse, colloquially referred to as a moon house. In modern imagination, the crescent moon on an outhouse door has become an identifying symbol of frontier living. Davis’ print also shows a shirtless man zipping up his pants upon exiting the outhouse, while a huge flock of birds fly overhead.
Frank H. Alston, Jr. was an artist and teacher from Providence, RI. Morning on Cape Cod illustrates a cloudy morning along the coast of a peninsula on the Massachusetts Coast. The image depicts a boy standing at the shoreline, boats sailing across the water, a house on top of a hill, and a residential area in the distance.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Moses Adams, Jr. discusses his experiences as a student in the class of 1969. He found his undergraduate courses challenging because he lacked a deep background in art, and the TSU faculty had high standards. Adams created a sprawling, abstract mural reflecting on drug addiction and urban decay.
Windle’s terracotta portrays a figure embracing a bird in its arms. The exterior of the sculpture is smooth and lacking any of the decorative motifs typically featured on Texas Southern students’ terracottas. The embrace reflects the compassion of a mother and her child, while also displaying interspecies grace and kindness through the act of picking up this bird.
“Mother and Child,” by Warren Williams, reflects a theme of unity. The smaller figure is placed in the lap of the larger, held in place by two fingers connecting to form a circle. The sculpture’s form resembles a mother and child bird, perhaps perched in their nest. The mother-child relationship is an important motif in Texas Southern artwork.
John Woodrow Wilson was a famous painter known for his creative portraits and stylistic approach to social justice. Mother and Child is a black-and-white depiction of a mother embracing their child. The mother has a solemn expression as she looks away from the viewer; her child is tucked into her arms, facing the viewer.
Herman "Kofi" Bailey was an artist from Chicago, IL. Mother and Child is a sepia-toned depiction of a Black mother holding her child in her lap. The mother looks down at the child as a blanket covers them.
John Woodrow Wilson was a famous painter known for his creative portraits and stylistic approach to social justice. Mother and Child is a black-and-white depiction of a mother embracing their child. The mother has a solemn expression as she looks away from the viewer; her child is tucked into her arms, facing the viewer.
Marion Perkins was a sculptor from Marche, AK. Mother and Child is a limestone bust of its namesake. The mother is placed behind the child as she holds his head. The mother looks toward the viewer as the child looks away.
This terracotta maquette is of a woman cradling a child in her arms. The woman is shown naked, with simplified facial features. A circular base supports the sculpture, and spiral motifs are embedded throughout the piece. The crown of the head is topped with layered rings to indicate hair texture. The mother and child theme is prevalent in TSU’s terracotta collection.
John T. Biggers was an educator, painter, and muralist from Gastonia, NC. Mother and Children depicts a woman sitting with her legs crossed and a baby in her lap. The baby’s face is hidden as they are turned downward in the woman’s lap. The woman hunches over the baby, folding her arms while looking down.
