Arts and Humanities Commons^™

"In The Name Of Progress": Postwar Urban Renewal And The Razing Of Black Spaces In Windsor, Ontario, 1957-1980, Willow Key

Major Papers

In the mid-1950s, Windsor, Ontario embarked on a comprehensive fifteen-year urban renewal initiative aimed at redeveloping the city’s downtown core into a modern, municipal hub and locale for both private and commercial interests and cross-border tourism. The initial focus of this strategy was a neighbourhood situated just east of the commercial district, which had been home to much of the Windsor’s Black population for more than a century. Rooted in a complex interplay of social and economic factors, Windsor’s renewal efforts, guided by a misguided, paternalistic understanding of physical transformation as a catalyst for positive social change, resulted in the …

Recipes For Life: Black Women, Cooking, And Memory, Elspeth Mckay

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

This paper examines cookbooks written by Black women from the mid eighteenth to late twentieth centuries. As cookbooks, these texts are practical and instructional, while also offering insights into the transnational development of food as an expression of cultural history through the Indigenous, African, and European influences evident within the cuisine. African Americans, and more specifically Black women, have contributed to the food history of the Southern United States by developing a distinct African American cuisine. As the author, I reflect on what it means for me – as a white Canadian woman in a border city – to be …

Internalized Oppression: Exploring The Nuanced Experiences Of Gender And Sexuality In Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Kathryn Kendal Ryan

The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History

In the American South at the turn of the century, quality education was scarce and legislative laws were put in place to ensure that African American individuals remained far away from Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). As a result, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) became a catalyst for change in a “separate but equal” driven society. This article will explore the significance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in elevating Black Americans throughout the twentieth century while assessing the conservative nature of the institutions and their inflexibility towards the various nuances of African American communities. While not particular to HCBUs, …

Ethical Data Considerations For Engaging In Reparative Archival Practice, Jamie Rogers, Rhia Rae

Works of the FIU Libraries

Archival textually-rich materials--such as warranty deeds, mortgages, legal documents, and letter correspondence--can provide valuable historical insights, and if transcribed and analyzed, can produce data points in the form of unstructured text, tabular data, and geospatial assets. This presentation will provide an overview of the process Florida International University librarians went through to turn the papers of Dana A. Dorsey, Miami's first Black Millionaire, into data. Their work is guided by the concept of "collections as data" as a form of reparative archival practice, enabling the elevation of marginalized individuals' histories. The goal of reparative archival practice is to create a …

Nervous Conditions, Laurel Grelle

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides
Work displayed here as a diptych

Artist's narrative: Letter 174 is addressed to Paul Laurence Dunbar sent from his dear family friend H.A. Tobey. Toward the end of his life, Dunbar struggled to cope with his tuberculosis and turned to alcohol to ease his pain. As his condition worsened, Tobey began to worry about him and wrote him this moving letter of optimism expressing his sympathy regarding Paul living with a painful and deadly disease. The mirroring is showing the side effects of the disease …

From Despair Comes Future Hope, Ainsley Betz

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Medium: Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides
Work displayed here as a diptych

Artist's narrative: Letter 3 was written to Dunbar’s friend and mentor Dr. James Newton Matthews. The letter focused on Dunbar’s despair following his publication and recital at the Western Association of Writers Conference, where he was not able to sell any of his poems. This caused him to doubt himself and his ability. The color blue was used to represent these feelings of sadness and self doubt. Negative words were pulled from the letter and applied at various …

On Flow'ry Beds Of Ease, Jacob Owens

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: In Letter 10, Paul Laurence Dunbar's heartfelt words to his friend J. N. Matthews unveil a profound narrative of gratitude and faith. As a Black man navigating adversity, Dunbar expressed his deep indebtedness to white colleagues who aided in his success. The gentle color palette—featuring dark blues, purples, and soft whites—exudes an antique ambiance, transporting viewers back to Dunbar's era. This color scheme evokes the essence of the time when Dunbar mastered his craft in the cozy confines of his mother's home, where …

Sincerely Yours, Emily Kintz

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides
Work displayed here as a diptych

Artist's narrative: Letter 62 unfolds William D. Howells’ review of Majors and Minors and the impact it had on Paul Laurence Dunbar. This single review pushed Dunbar into the national spotlight, which made his career. Howells' review, however, was embedded with racist ideologies and misinterpretations of Dunbar’s messages. The use of blue watercolor in the foreground represents the depth Dunbar put into his work. The purple watercolor begins to flood into the imagery to express the power Howells had …

I Object, Caroline Creamer

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Letter 166 Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote to Booker T. Washington in response to his rebuttals of the commissioned song Dunbar was asked to write for the Tuskegee Institute. The Tuskegee Institute was the first higher education institute opened for African Americans. Booker T. Washington was one of the founders who helped establish the school. During the time of this letter, Dunbar was struggling with his tuberculosis diagnosis, however he was still writing and producing new work. Within this letter Dunbar debates Washington’s views and objections …

Irrevocable Harm, Sebastián De León

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Can one experience extreme joy and fear simultaneously? In Letter 62, Dunbar writes to William D. Howells to express his gratitude for the praise he received in Harper’s Weekly. Howells was a prominent Ohioan publisher, editor, and writer during Dunbar’s time. His review of Dunbar’s Majors and Minors is attributed as a major step in Dunbar’s career, as it awarded the Daytonian poet with great recognition. However, though Howell’s article portrayed Dunbar as a great and talented artist, it also painted his race …

Your Affectionate Son, Paul, Isabella Winkler

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides.

Artist's narrative: Letter 66 is a heartfelt reminder written by Dunbar to his Mother, Matilda, in order to ease her mind of anxieties about her son being gone to New York for readings. Dunbar explains to his mother that he is optimistic about his time in New York so far and believes that it is only going up from there. He elaborates that the people in the area seem to be very interested in him and his work. He is having great success so far …

The Uneventful Life, Hannah Schultz

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 85 provides Paul Laurence Dunbar’s negative viewpoint on his successes. Although we are unsure who he is writing to, he writes of his accomplishments from early childhood to the present and calls it all uneventful. He starts off by mentioning how he was only published at age 14 and quickly calls it positive trash. He continues to discuss how he was widely loved in high school and was the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, but he wrote the paper a month late …

Grateful But Discouraged, Noah Davisson

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 21 is from Paul Laurence Dunbar to Frederick Douglass, expressing his thanks to Douglass for his help in Chicago. Dunbar was showing his gratitude toward him and his wife and how he would not forget their kindness. Dunbar goes on to explain that he is not doing well mentally and that the people in his town did not support him — especially after he came back from Chicago. Dunbar explains how news of him getting thrown out of a hotel for being …

Paul L. Dunbar: A Tale Of Two Worlds, Brayden Vaughan

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 3 is a poem full of despair and sadness. While Paul Laurence Dunbar does have limited moments of happiness, he is mostly addressing his sorrow and negativity to his friend J.N. Matthews regarding the publication of his work. Dunbar lists his discouragement and blames himself several times throughout his writing. He is very annoyed at himself for his disappointments because he has only been able to sell two of his hymns. He even addresses a statement saying: “But enough of myself and …

Wish To Be, Try To Be, Madelyn Selong

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative:

Letter 21 details the events Paul Laurence Dunbar experienced following the Chicago World's Fair. Dunbar writes to Frederick Douglass, whom he had made friends with at the World's Fair after reading his poems there. The beginning of the letter tells the story of Dunbar’s gratitude toward Douglass as he promises to try to be worthy of the interest Douglass took in him. The end of the letter has a less positive tone, with Dunbar reflecting on some unfortunate events that occurred at the …

Don't Be Startled, My Dear Mother, Jon Quiroz

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's statement:

In Letter 66, Paul Laurence Dunbar aims to reassure his mother, Matilda Dunbar, not to be so concerned about his whereabouts. He emphasizes that he will return home as soon as he can. Within the letter, he sends a $2 bill to give financial support during his busy schedule of recitals, particularly in the South—a gesture that underscores his devotion to his family’s well-being even in his absence. Dunbar reassures his mother that after gaining great success from his writing, all the financial …

Self-Deprivation, Maddison Mitchell

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Paul Laurence Dunbar was a fascinating poet and writer. He was ahead of his time, and his writing was special and loved by all who read it. However, Dunbar was very hard on himself; he talked down about his abilities and writings. In Letter 3, he was writing to a close friend and mentor, James Newton Matthews. He talks about how he is not confident in his writing abilities and is doubting himself, saying he hasn’t been able to sell a single poem. …

I Am Doing For The Best, Elaina Lear

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 66 expresses Paul Laurence Dunbar’s loving relationship with his mother, Matilda, and how his distance away from home worried her. Dunbar explained how his writing career was successful and that wealthy white people were treating him well; therefore, she did not need to worry. One side of the poster reflects the beginning of the letter; it's painted with ink wash representing the home where Matilda resided in Dayton, Ohio. The opposite side represents the Everett House in New York, where Paul was …

Love And Family, Kevin Brun

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's statement: Letter 92 is Paul writing to his mother, Matilda, during his voyage from New York to England. Due to Dunbar’s dedication and love for his mother, he was writing to let her know that he had a rough trip but is doing well. Dunbar was on his way to London to sell his book Lyrics of Lowly Life after he got the approval and recommendation from William Dean Howells—who at the time was known as the “Dean of American Letters.” Near the end …

‘Death Of A Union Man’: Reconstructing Conflict At Windsor Chrysler During The Long Seventies, Heat Harvie

Major Papers

The shooting of UAW Local 444 President Charles “Charlie” Brooks in January 1977 by former Chrysler worker Clarence Talbot, allegedly over a grievance, brought the city of Windsor, Ontario to a standstill. Recently fired from his position as a relief worker at the Chrysler plant, Talbot was in a very vulnerable position where his ability to survive hinged on a successful grievance. Brooks was a beloved labour leader noted for his radical and colourful ways who had a long history of working hard for union and community members through his advocacy. The Ontario Supreme Court ultimately declared Talbot not criminally …

Visual Representation Of Black Individuals At The Forefront Of Underground Railroad Interpretation, Alison Spongr

Museum Studies Theses

This thesis is grounded in a reflection and analysis of the building of an institution whose foundation and visuals position the narratives of Black individuals at the forefront of Underground Railroad interpretation. In 2018, the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center opened to the public after decades in the making. Its permanent exhibition, One More River to Cross, set in motion a shift in power – of whose stories are represented and shared – generated by visual activism.

“Between the American Revolution in 1776 and the end of the Civil War in 1865, thousands of freedom seekers escaped slavery …

The Story Of Jennie Steers: An Examination Of Race, Gender, And Lynching In Northwest Louisiana, Lauren Smith

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

As the nineteenth century ended, the American South entered a new century equipped with the foundations of a Jim Crow society. Through political intimidation, segregation, and racial violence—most notoriously through the practice of lynching—white Southerners reasserted white supremacist rule. Yet the lynching of Black men in this era is more often documented than the plight of Black women at the hands of white mobs and local authorities. By focusing on Jennie Steers, a woman lynched outside of Shreveport, Louisiana in 1903, this project sheds light on the violent history of Northwest Louisiana and the ways in which Black women navigated …

Motown Movie Magic: Respectability, Gender, And Authenticity In Crossover Films, 1972-1989, Nicholas Andrew Ambs

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

At the start of the 1970s, Berry Gordy, Jr., moved Motown Industries to Los Angeles to expand into the film and television industries. Just as in the music industry, Gordy utilized respectability politics to navigate a segregated market to appeal to a wider audience. As rhetoric around notions of respectability changed perspectives on the Black experience, Gordy’s business practices represented a traditional tactic for uplift ideology that he sought to demonstrate in his film. In the context of national changes and industrial trends, Gordy balanced building credibility, establishing a profitable studio, and creating a positive image throughout the 70s and …

Saving Salt City: Fighting Inequality Through Policy And Activism In Syracuse, Ny, 1955-1975, Scarlett Nicole Rebman

Dissertations - ALL

"Saving Salt City: Fighting Inequality through Policy and Activism in Syracuse, NY, 1955-1975" offers an in-depth exploration of civil rights and antipoverty struggles in the Salt City between 1955 and 1975. It centers the agency of activists who built interracial and cross-class organizations through which they contested the marginalization and segregation of Black Syracusans. By examining the struggles around major issues including education, housing, police brutality, employment, and a broader vision of economic justice, "Saving Salt City" documents the alternative visions and unrealized agendas for change generated by citizens in Northern urban spaces. This project recovers Syracuse's legacy as a …

Intro To Jazz, Jon De Lucia

Open Educational Resources

OER Based Syllabus for MUS 145 Intro to Jazz course at City College. Covers the history and development of jazz along with basic music fundamental vocabulary.

Professor Philip W. Carter, Jr., Kelli Johnson

Publications

Professor Philip W. Carter, Jr., MSW, is a professor of Social Work and an academic activist with over 40 years at Marshall University and a total of 50 years of teaching, administering, and training in higher education. Professor Carter has taught and developed coursework in the areas of Appalachian social welfare, and legislation and has a 60-year legacy of social justice work. This advocacy began as a basketball player at Marshall where he was simultaneously a spokesperson for the student-led Civic Interest Progressives (CIP). The CIP was responsible for desegregation in public accommodation, the establishment of human rights commissions, and …

Fashioning The Flapper: Clothing As A Catalyst For Social Change In 1920s America, Julia Wolffe

Honors Program Theses

Fashion has been a catalyst for social change throughout human history. Fashion in 1920s America in particular reflects society's rapidly evolving attitudes towards gender and race. Beginning with how corsetry heavily restricted women for nearly four hundred years up until the twentieth century, this thesis explores how clothing has acted as a tool for societal progression following World War I and Women's Suffrage and during the Jazz Age and The Harlem Renaissance. Specifically, this thesis examines how the influence of jazz music and dance that originated from Black American communities led to the creation of the flapper evening dress. The …

It Just Got Real: Dissertating Under The Tripartite Pressures Of The Covid Pandemic, Anti-Black Racism, And The Academic Job Market, Francena F.L. Turner

Sociology Department Faculty Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Bone By Bone- Re-Collecting Stories Of Black Female Student Activists At Fayetteville State Using Oral History Interviews, Francena F.L. Turner

Sociology Department Faculty Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Arthur "Billy" Leonard Pegram Jr., Kelli Johnson

Oral Histories – NPS AACR Civil Rights In Appalachia Grant

Kelli Johnson conducting an oral history interview with Billy Pegram.

Mr. Pegram is know as Billy Pegram.

This oral history is part of the National Park Service African American Civil Rights History and Appalachia Grant Program.