David C. Driskell Papers

3.

Enjoy the California sunshine (smile) - since I know you'll probably be spending most of the time inside) and don't forget to get the specifics on ceiling height, wall and ceiling textures (and materal), and the degre of responsibility we'll have for actual design and installation of the exhibit.

Talk to you around the 14th

Steve

P.S. Are you hip to the Hatch-Billops Collection ("Archives of Black American Cultural History) in New York? They supposedly have over 5000 slides of work of Black artists.

P.P.S. Do you plan on spelling the word "Black" with a large "B" (a la Jet, Ebony, Essence) or with a small "b"?

2-12-76 4 PM

David - This is of necessity a "real quickie" as I have to get it to the Post Office before it closes.

1) The photos I promised are enclosed - pencil identification on back. I have more complete info on Prestwood. Haven't been able to find out more on fire irons yet.

2) talked to Franklin Fenenga (?) in Cal. - His wife just died three weeks ago and he hasn't been able to get to anything but necessary correspondance. He said your letter to him didn't seem to need a reply. He's now promised us 5 pieces: the face vessell, 2 large Dave pieces, and 2 small Dave pieces. Please call him while you're in L.A. If you get time, he would like to see you and share his info with you (he seems very nice). Also, it might give you the opportunity to get the loan forms completed on the spot. I enclosed 2 cards with his home phone number and school address. STOP put one copy in your address book and another with photos to take to L.A. so you can't say you forgot where you put his number or left it at home.

3) Check out Wightman's pic of the corn grinding stone (?) and compare with some African designs, particularly the Tsonga headrests.

4) some info on a plantation near Georgetown, S.C. with reference to Thomas Pinckney.

5) Fieffer (?) cartoon, Ben's latest work (pic sent especially to you) brochure on play we should see (Tabernacle) when you come to N.Y.C.

6) my Chicago phone tree/bill (?) 7) Addendum of list who assisted on project

Steve P.S. I'll call this weekend

2-16-76 . 9PM .

David - Checked into the immediately pressing thing we talked about for the catalog: PICTURES BEING SENT DIRECT TO YOU IN L.A. - 1) Leo Moss dolls (from Myle Perkins, Detroit) either a group pic or one of the crying baly, depending on what she can find before tomorrow/photos of all 10 of her Leo Moss dolls should be ready by March 1, so we can use in the exhibit, as well as 2 actual examples. 2) Iron Door knocker (from Gary Cole, Inc. New York) Bill Olsen, the assistant, said he didn't remember receiving a letter from you (although the Brooklyn Museum had contacted them about the piece)_ turns out it has been sold but he will make "discreet inquiries" as to whether the new owner would be interested in exhibiting it. - they are sending their own 8X10 pic of it. 3) Monkey jug (from Bert Hemphill, New York) this is the one he's loaning for our show OTHER PICS YOU SHOULD RECEIVE - 4) Tuskegee Institute Chapel (from Tuskegee Inst. Office of Public Relations) they sent this one + several other building pics to you today (Monday 2-16) Special Delivery to Nashville OTHER PICS SENT - 5) Thomas Day supportive material (from North Carolina Mueseum, Raleigh) 3 pics plus an additional ad pie were sent to you last week 6) Leo Moss doll Bob (from Museum of Afro-American History, Boston). They still claim a packet was sent to you over a week ago.

I have received the Vlach slides of shotgun houses in Louisiana, Haiti, and Nigeria (from Indiana (?) Univ.).

I called Thelma this evening and gave her the list of three things which, might come to Nashville and the L.A. address of where to send them Special Delivery to you.

2 I couldn't reach Bill Barrett for the other T. Day pic and Ralph Hammond (Charles Bell staircase) in Boaz, Ala. doesn't have a phone and isn't listed in the Police Dept. City directory.

In addition, don't forget:

Rex to contact: 1) American Museum of Natural History, New York for baskets and iron man copy 2) Smithsonian - Museum of History & Technology (Western Cultural Div.) Washington. for monkey jugs, iron ornaments, and anything else they might have found and aren't using in their own (?) show. 3) Ralph Rinzler (?) - Smithsonian, Div. of Performing Arts for items from his personal collection and suggestions of other people to contact 4) Colonial Williamsburg, Rockerfeller Collection: Virginia for Boy with Bowl

You to contact: 1) Alan Shestack Yale Univ. Museum for Cudgell walking stick and pic of it 2) Washington-Wilkes Museum, Washington, Ga. for pottery 3) Dick Slavin, N.Y. Historical Society, Cooperstown about knife box and where its going 4) John Burrison, Georgia State, Atlanta for walking stick, musical instruments, and anything else he might have 5) Don Herold, Charleston Museum, S.C. about face jugs committed to Met, corn grinding stone, and anything else he has 6) Augusta Museum, Ga for S.C. face vessels and anything else *** 7 to see Franklin Finenga (?) (Cal.) 213/430-5724 about Dave pottery - don't forget to ask & get number of Stephen Ferrill (?) in Charleston, S.C. who's doing the pottery show, including 11 Black potters from mid-19th century in Edgecomb County, S.C.

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Misc. other - 1) In addition to asking the people there in L.A. about finances, use of B/W and color transparences/slides/pics, exact space available, and reiterating loan deadlines, find out about availability of the catalog. I will need about 25 for people who are loaning things for the show or have assisted and would like one. Also, several institutions have asked to be sent one, and billed for it. Is this feasible? 2) Was at Staten Island Black History Conference this past Saturday. Didn't get much more on Jansen House but have three more people working on it looking for leads. - Did find a cute little church though built by a Dutch-American trained Black stone mason - see enclosed zerox - as well as 4 or 5 other & leads to things from "Jackson Whites" decendents. 3) Also from conference, got a pic of a so-called "African" building (from Mike Cohn) in North Carolina used by Black fishermen there. It's somewhat crude in execution and open to question, but when we get together, we'll talk about it. 4) Finally caught up with Joan Maynard at a Weeksville Benefit auction on Saturday night - She was just so friendly, but in a cold, distant, hard way, More on that later. 5) When you get to N.Y.C. allow about a 1/2 hour for me to take you to check out the work of and meet George Helton, a local Black artist in his late 30's/early 40's who does a lot of "historical" type (a la Jacob Laurence) sculpture. He's never had a one-man show but has a whole houseful of work and is trying to find a place to have one. I'm negotiating to get a fresco from him though painting and sculpture are his most prolific modes. 6) To really get this project together as I'd like, I think now it would take about 4 weeks (including the fieldwork on my way to and from Jackson, Miss.)

May the spirits watch over you and protect you in L.A.

Rap when yo get back.

Steve

[image alt text: image of a print of a church building and trees during winter (?)]

from Mrs. Frances Pierson Piermont, N.Y.

St. Charles A.M.E. Zion Church Sparkill, N.Y. rebuilt 1897 by William Brown, a Black stonemason who learned the craft from the Dutch in the area

2.

I'm assuming that the North Carolina Museum sent you the Thomas Day pics gratis. If untrue, advise me. Did you receive the Tuskeegee pictures? If so, add the following to list (?) of others who have assisted list (?). If not forget it.: Mrs. Phyllis Kmbrough Public Relations Office Tuskeegee Institute Tuskeegee, Ala. Also check to make sure you have added the names of DeJohn Vlach Department of English University of Maryland College Park, Md.

Mr. George McDaniel Urgent Anthropology Program Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. to your list of assistants. I had given them to you on the phone before you went to LA. For the pictures which you were billed for, have you paid them? Please check on this.

** The Rosewell Ice House (now demolished) is in Gloucester County, Virginia

The Thomas Day pics are enclosed. You had planned to compare the stair newell (?) posts of the Paschal House to African sculpture. the round top post from this house is the picture you were to get from Bill Barrett. ( paper is folded?) letter to you later in the week. Easy. Steve

June 2, 1976

Hey - Finally getting this to you (I always feel like I'm giving birth - or at least what I imagine it would be like - in getting these "brief notes" to you). Got your list & floor plan. Was very surprised that the number of paintings/sculpture was down to 195. This from an original number over 300? Only 18 craft items listed - I do need to get a more final idea of things to this point. Besides what I assume are 2 Leo Moss dolls, I count at least 4 other items not shown for which forms have supposedly been cleared. Please get the exact info on this. Also - as soon as possible - you need to get me the list of photographs used in the catalog and the chapter on crafts/architecture so I can check it for mistakes. This is very necessary to prevent errors. I've already noticed several just on the sheet (list) you've sent me. (Example: either use [crossed out] "grotesque jug" or "monkey jug" - face vessel that are essentially the same type can't be both and you are being unnecessarily misleading unless you

2.

clarify that inconsistency. (Also you never did tell me whether the word "Black" will be capitalized throughout - as it should be - & is ni Jet, Ebony, etc.) - we must define these things for ourselves!!! I have to get a clearer idea of the budget that's left because some of the pictures (like at Library of Congress) take up to six or eight weeks to get - Also, I must have a list (?) of what you already have (you should also have that for yourself) so we'll know how much we have to work with for the photo walls. - also - what the various sizes will be. Looking at exhibit plan, I must say I'm quite skeptical. I don't see a concept for display, which speaks to the nature of what's being exhibited and the intrinsic sub-groups into which much of the material falls. This is why I feel you should have the LA people bring me out in July. (no disrespect to you, of course). But I think the Smithsonian's "Nation of Nation's" Exhibit (which is supposed to finally open next week) shows how a lot of money ($1 million)

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spent on Professional exhibits people who don't have a feel for the materials they're handling and what they mean can still end up with a very sterile exhibit. Check the "N. of N's" catalog. I have a copy (of the 6000 items maybe 15 are Black [crossed out] related - 1/2 of those photos) and it is very sad, though quite slick in presentation.

While my mind is wandering: 1) Ben hasn't received any reimbursment from New York - you should contact them about this - it's been several months 2) Ben's pics enclosed 3) general material from South enclosed 4) your copy of my latest photo bill (?) to LA enclosed [arrow] I sent it to them directly 5) various letters, etc enclosed - check out the one from Muriel Wilson - the person she speaks of is near your area - you may want to contact him 6) the Frates (?) sheet is notes you had written on the back of the list you sent me - I didn't know whether you needed it or not. 7) Alma Thomas says she hasn't heard from you 8) John Vlach (U of Ma) has gotten money to travel throughout the South this summer collecting things for the Cleveland Museum show