A historical reference request.

[blackspade]

I'm looking for historical references for that late Victorian Era in the US that give details about how African Americans in urban areas (in the Ohio Valley) conformed or rejected Victorian culture.

Specifically, I'm looking at class status, dining practices, material consumption, food choices, family structure, health, land ownership, and other things that relate to the African-American experience between 1870-1920.
My focus is on the material out of necessity because I'm looking at an archaeological collection from a mixed African-American, Irish, and German neighborhood.
Thus far I've mainly focused on class differences on other projects related to this time period due to the largely homogenous (white) residents that lived at these sites. However, I have to broaden my analysis because class cannot explain or define the potential differences in the living experiences within my current project area.
I'm trying to tie social processes to the archaeological data in an effort to build a better picture of the daily lives of the neighborhood's residents.
One thing I'm curious about is if it is possible to correlate the material culture recovered with the demographic data identified during the historical background research.

Post references here or feel free to PM me!
Thanks!

[qwlauren35]

1. Good luck.

From the photos I've seen of us in Victorian style clothing, I think you'll find that there were some of us who conformed.

My aunt lived in the 1930's/40's and she might know some of her parents' history and lore. If you have questions, I can ask and you can get some oral history. My grandparents were raised in Mississippi, but moved to DC in the 1910's.

Speaking of which, you might be able to get some information from Howard University archives, since it was created in that time period (1870's).

[blackspade]

2. Cool, Thanks!

Conformity is a given in many cases, but the conformity is dependent on the cultural insulation that a particular group exhibits.
How some cultural groups reject or modify the dominating culture is part of what I want to get at.

As I get into the data more and can come up with some specific questions I'll shoot you a PM.
Migration may also play into the development of this neighborhood, so your Aunt's experience may be very relevant to the some of the families in my study area.

Thanks for the Howard tip!

[qwlauren35]

3. From what I saw

Black people, especially lighter skinned or more "established" or educated black people, strived to conform.

There was a belief that if in every way but color, we could emulate the best of white culture, we would be accepted. Some people look back and say we were "whiter" than white people. We worked hard at not having faults.

At any rate, that is what I saw in my grandparents.

[blackspade]

4. Thats interesting though tragic in many ways.

I have to say that the 'best' of white culture in this period is relative.
The Victorian Era is called the 'Guilded Age' by many, but it has a very dark underbelly of inequities that many, especially minorities had to perilously navigate.

I have lots of info on ethnic European minorities, but very little on African Americans during this time period.

Thanks for your response!

[Number23]

5. Probably doesn't have much to do with what you're looking for but one of my favorite OPs in

this group in a while was about black Victorians. http://www.democraticunderground.com/118712921

[blackspade]

6. Awesome, thanks!

Great photos. The link may have references that I can dig into.

[heaven05]

7. I don't know if this will help

in your particular search: The American Kaleidoscope-Race, ethnicity and the civic culture by Lawrence H. Fuchs, Wesleyan University Press..Published by University Press of New England--Howard Zinn..A Peoples History of the United States, but you already know that one probably. Lot of reference material in the first one I mentioned. Lerone Bennett, jr..Before the Mayflower:a history of the negro in america-1619-1964

[blackspade]

8. Great! I'll check them out.

Thanks so much.