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Portrait Stories: African Americans and the Founding Era Part 2 | BRIdge from the Past

Description

What can portraits reveal about African Americans during the Founding Era? In her second episode exploring African Americans and the Founding Era, Mary looks at a woodcut portrait of Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught African American author and thinker born in 1731. What is the significance of the inclusion of this portrait in Banneker's own published almanac? What did Banneker's publishing of almanacs have to do with the fight against–in Banneker's own words–“the almost general prejudice and prepossession which is so prevalent in the world against those of my complexion”?

Related Resources

Benjamin Banneker’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson & ‘UnSeen’ Portraiture | A Primary Source Close Read

Even the most influential and prestigious among us aren’t without their faults, and Thomas Jefferson was no exception. In this Primary Close Read video, Kirk Higgins, Mary Patterson, and Elizabeth Evans compare Benjamin Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson and Titus Kaphar's interpretation of Thomas Jefferson's legacy in his painting "Behind the Myth of Benevolence." Why are these pieces important to our understanding of Jefferson? What do they tell us about the present moment in American history?

Portrait Stories: African Americans and the Founding Era | BRIdge from the Past

What can portraits reveal about African Americans during the Founding Era? In this week's BRIdge from the Past, Mary explores what a miniature portrait of Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, a formerly enslaved woman turned paid domestic servant, can tell us about her life and the lives of other African Americans during this time.

Paths to Freedom: African Americans and the American Revolution | BRIdge from the Past

Images can help tell the story of major events throughout U.S. History, but sometimes, you must look closely to uncover the hidden stories from the past. In this episode of BRIdge From The Past, Mary explores famous paintings depicting the role of African Americans during the American Revolution. How are African Americans depicted in paintings from this period? What clues are we still missing from their role in the Revolutionary War?

BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History Video Playlist

BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History is a new YouTube series for students that explores an important historic image every episode to gain insights into the culture, politics, and society of a particular time in U.S. history. Host Mary Patterson will explain how each primary source is its own “window to the past,” revealing new areas for contemplation and discussion.