Showing 4727 results

Location: Jim Crow Exhibition Hall

The vintage red and white Jolly Negro bank features a cheerful caricature of a Black man, reflecting the racial stereotypes common in early 20th-century American culture. This coin bank, characterized by its bright colors and playful design, embodies the problematic portrayals of African Americans during that time

Location: Jim Crow Exhibition Hall

The vintage black and red Jolly Negro bank depicts a smiling Black figure, exemplifying the racially insensitive stereotypes common in early 20th-century America. This ceramic bank was designed to encourage saving while reflecting a troubling portrayal of African Americans in popular culture.

Location: Jim Crow Exhibition Hall

The red and yellow vintage Jolly Negro bank features a caricature of a smiling Black man, embodying the racially insensitive stereotypes prevalent in early 20th-century America. Designed as a coin bank, it reflects the era's problematic representation of African Americans in popular culture.

Location: AC.2.B.3.6.2 - AC.3.A.1.2.8

The John F. Matheus Collection documents the life, literary career, and intellectual contributions of John Frederick Matheus, an American writer and scholar associated with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The materials in this collection date from 1909 to 1983 and provide insight into Matheus’s development as a prominent literary figure known for his short stories, as well as his work in essays, plays, and poetry.

Matheus gained national recognition for his literary achievements, including his short story “Fog,” which won first place in Opportunity magazine’s literary contest in 1925 and was subsequently published in The New Negro. He continued to receive acclaim with his story “Swamp Moccasin,” which earned first prize in The Crisis magazine’s contest in 1926. His writing reflects the broader artistic and cultural movements of the Harlem Renaissance and was influenced by earlier literary figures such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edgar Allan Poe, Phillis Wheatley, and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The collection consists of personal papers and literary materials that illustrate both Matheus’s professional accomplishments and personal life. Included are correspondence, original manuscripts, notes, and newspaper articles that document his writing process and engagement with literary communities. Photographs and personal items further contextualize his experiences and relationships within the cultural and intellectual circles of his time.

Collectively, the John F. Matheus Collection provides valuable documentation of an important voice of the Harlem Renaissance and offers researchers insight into early twentieth-century African American literature, artistic expression, and scholarly thought.