4

4.

Naturally this applies most to the 19th century architecture
of the South but there are still too many people who
see architecture and art as an endeavor limited
to those few who were patronized by the wealthy
and powerful citizens of the country. Patronage was
a factor in the "Harlem Renaissance" and both
you and I personally know of its significance today.
3. Another reason the "house" is important
for its symbolic significance for "fine art", which
we should remember, is that it has historically found itself with some
architectual environment (in the Euro-American tradition.)
C. Your exhibit itself - the first 2/3 - Up until
1920 & the day of the "New Negro" the number of
identifiable Black creators of "fine art" is so limited
as to make the decorative and popular arts of the time
a necessary introduction to the 20th century. We've
already discussed some of the possible items of emphasis _
whole room of the Tom Day things, quilts from
different areas with the different sewing methods,
the "grotesque jugs," the Wooden Indian figures of
New York State, walking sticks & other wittled objects,
clothing from the hands of those Master Black seamstresses,
photographs, the hand crocheted silhouettes, furniture,
silverware, jewelry, wrought iron, plastic decoration,
and those things done for whites by Black hands, as
well as the buildings like Melrose - built by, for, & owned
by Blacks, and Keswisk - built by & for Black "house servants.
and then those mansions built by Blacks for whites.
Throughout this period, I feel you need to
concentrate on some theme which can allow you to
do the kind of specific research which will yield some
new information, a "find" so to speak, which
can lend distinctive credibility to this exhibit as
a whole. Although you can't cover everything, the
necessary comprehensive pretensions of the project implies