Many of the beautiful objects we associate with early America were crafted by skilled hands whose stories are often not told. Behind the craftsmanship of furniture, textiles and decorative arts are individuals whose knowledge and training shaped everyday life in a growing nation. The next NKY History Hour at Behringer-Crawford Museum explores the expertise enslaved Africans brought with them and how that knowledge influenced the objects we still study and display today.
Join educator, author and filmmaker Dr. Joan Ferrante for “Skills They Already Possessed: What Enslaved Africans Brought With Them” on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m.. The free, virtual program will examine the specialized training and experience many enslaved Africans carried across the Atlantic. Rather than learning trades only after arrival, many individuals were already accomplished in areas such as furniture making, textile production, pearl diving and other skilled work that was actively sought through the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Dr. Ferrante will discuss how this expertise contributed to the creation of beautiful furniture, clothing and household goods that defined early American homes. While the finished pieces were visible, the knowledge and labor that went into them often went unrecognized.
Dr. Joan Ferrante is an educator, author, speaker and filmmaker whose work explores race and identity in American history. She is the founder and director of the Mourning the Creation of Racial Categories Project, which brings artists and communities together to examine how racial categories were formed in the United States and how that history continues to shape society.
NKY History Hour is a virtual program, offered exclusively online. Participation is free, but registration is required to join via Zoom.
Register and receive a Zoom link.
The event will also be streamed live on BCM’s Facebook page. All past NKY History Hour episodes can be viewed at bcmuseum.org.
NKY History Hour programs take place every other Tuesday evening. To support NKY History Hour and access many other entertaining and thought-provoking programs, join BCM. Donations to support the museum’s educational programming are welcome.
The program also connects to Behringer-Crawford Museum’s exhibit, Treasures From the Attic: 250 Years of Fashion & Furniture, on display now through August. 9. By learning more about the craftsmanship behind these objects, participants may gain a deeper understanding of the pieces on display and the stories connected to them. For admission information and upcoming programs connected to the exhibition, visit www.bcmuseum.org.
Behringer-Crawford Museum