Emblematic Illustrations Facilitator Framework

The Library of Congress

Title image from African-American Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection

EMBLEMATIC ILLUSTRATIONS:
Using Material Culture to Interpret African American Life

Overview | Facilitator Framework | Exercise | Guide

Workshop time: 2 1/2 hrs.; maximum group size: 16

Time Activities Materials & Equipment

30 min. 1. Practicing material culture analysis on two artifacts.

Explain material culture analysis.
Guide participants as a group through first the initial observation of the two documents, followed by their deeper analysis - composer, audience, imagery, text and culture.
Give brief overview of the period from the Civil War through the early twentieth century.
As a group, brainstorm questions based on the analysis of the two documents.
Participant exercise handout
In the Days of Old Black Joe by James Brockman
Swing Low Sweet Chariot by H.T. Burleigh
both from Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920

30 min. 2. Using additional documents to deepen awareness of the historical context.
In pairs, participants explore document sets and construct an image of African American life based on information within documents. They use the Material Culture Analysis Guide to focus their analysis.
Participant exercise handout
Material Culture Analysis Guide
(print out documents for groups or send to computers)

30 min. 3. Sharing analysis/ constructing a sense of the historical context.

Give each pair 5-10 min. to share their analyses, speculations and questions about African American life.
Ask the group to arrange the documents in various ways to suggest larger ideas and developments.
List questions that arise about the wider historical context.
document sets on Participant exercise handout

Individual breaks during upcoming search activity

45 min. 4. Searching collections to find/ juxtapose objects of your own.

In pairs, participants search 1 of 3 collections and select 2-3 images that portray African Americans, including one image that is positive and one that is negative. Print images.
Pairs conduct a material culture analysis on their objects to be presented to the group.
Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920
Selected Civil War Photographs, 1860-1865
Touring Turn of the Century America: Photographs from the Detroit Publishing Company Collection, 1880-1920
Material Culture Analysis Guide
computers with Internet connectivity and web browsers; printers

15 min 5. Debriefing the activity.
As a group, discuss questions on participant exercise handout.
Participant exercise handout

Time	Activities	Materials & Equipment
30 min.	1. Practicing material culture analysis on two artifacts. Explain material culture analysis. Guide participants as a group through first the initial observation of the two documents, followed by their deeper analysis - composer, audience, imagery, text and culture. Give brief overview of the period from the Civil War through the early twentieth century. As a group, brainstorm questions based on the analysis of the two documents.	Participant exercise handout In the Days of Old Black Joe by James Brockman Swing Low Sweet Chariot by H.T. Burleigh both from Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920
30 min.	2. Using additional documents to deepen awareness of the historical context. In pairs, participants explore document sets and construct an image of African American life based on information within documents. They use the Material Culture Analysis Guide to focus their analysis.	Participant exercise handout Material Culture Analysis Guide (print out documents for groups or send to computers)
30 min.	3. Sharing analysis/ constructing a sense of the historical context. Give each pair 5-10 min. to share their analyses, speculations and questions about African American life. Ask the group to arrange the documents in various ways to suggest larger ideas and developments. List questions that arise about the wider historical context.	document sets on Participant exercise handout
Individual breaks during upcoming search activity
45 min.	4. Searching collections to find/ juxtapose objects of your own. In pairs, participants search 1 of 3 collections and select 2-3 images that portray African Americans, including one image that is positive and one that is negative. Print images. Pairs conduct a material culture analysis on their objects to be presented to the group.	Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 Selected Civil War Photographs, 1860-1865 Touring Turn of the Century America: Photographs from the Detroit Publishing Company Collection, 1880-1920 Material Culture Analysis Guide computers with Internet connectivity and web browsers; printers
15 min	5. Debriefing the activity. As a group, discuss questions on participant exercise handout.	Participant exercise handout

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The Library of Congress | American Memory Contact us

Last updated 09/26/2002

The Library of Congress \| American Memory	Contact us
Last updated 09/26/2002