Mundy, a former airline employee, searched thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets around the country for 25 years, on a mission to develop an understanding of the African-American experience. Today the John C. Hitt Library houses just a portion of what is now called the Carol Mundy Collection, and these are 14 of her favorite finds.
Spider Webs, a Steamer Trunk and Slavery, 1826-86
Cousins Edith Bennett and Lenora Lindley compiled letters,
maps and other documents charting the exodus of their
ancestors from Liberia, Africa, to Ohio County, Kentucky, into
six handmade volumes that they gave to family members. By
researching the authors, Mundy was able to make contact with
Bennett, who sent her a volume. 麻豆精品 S淚t is one of the most wonderful
pieces that I 麻豆精品 S檝e ever found. 麻豆精品 S�
NAACP Advertisement, 1957
This booklet by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People predates the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 麻豆精品 S淎ny publication that talks about current events is a wonderful source of information because it is a firsthand account. 麻豆精品 S�
Cream of Wheat Advertisement, 1921
Mundy found 麻豆精品 S淭he Fortune Teller 麻豆精品 S� in Grandview, Missouri. 麻豆精品 S淲hen I saw this derogatory, stereotypical imagery in early 20th-century advertising, I was fascinated. I wanted to understand my parents 麻豆精品 S� experience when they looked at items that depicted African-Americans as ignorant. 麻豆精品 S�
Jet Magazine Issues, 1963 麻豆精品 S�69
Founded in 1951 by publisher John H. Johnson,
Jet was originally billed as 麻豆精品 S淭he Weekly Negro News Magazine. 麻豆精品 S� Printed for 62 years, the magazine continues as a digital brand. 麻豆精品 S淚 grew up with this magazine. It was the news for the African-American community, and people loved it. 麻豆精品 S�
Uncle Remus Brand Cane Sugar Syrup
Advertising Fan, date unknown
This promotional item depicts the popular African-American folktale character created by southern journalist Joel Chandler Harris in 1880. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 not necessarily derogatory, just a good example of branding. 麻豆精品 S�
Life of William McKinley and Complete Story of His Assassination, 1901
The real significance of this book is what Mundy found tucked inside of it. 麻豆精品 S淭hat book contained a yellowing, waxed paper release document for an African-American soldier from the U.S. Army 10th Cavalry [a famous African-American Buffalo Soldiers regiment]. It was my first significant historical piece. 麻豆精品 S�
Ku Klux Klan Medallion, 1975
When Mundy found this metal badge along with a hood, cuff links and a Klansman 麻豆精品 S檚 handbook at Shirley 麻豆精品 S檚 Trailside Antiques in Winter Garden, Florida, another customer became angry that an African-American woman was buying the items and accosted her with racial slurs. Thankfully, the gun-toting shop owner intervened. 麻豆精品 S淪hirley did an act of bravery that most people would not have done. She saved me that day."
Marionettes, date unknown
Found in a Central Florida antiques mall, these wooden puppets have remained a mystery to Mundy. 麻豆精品 S淲hen I first saw them, I thought 麻豆精品 S榃hat does it mean that these two are paired together? 麻豆精品 S� I was so fascinated that I had to have them. 麻豆精品 S�
Mortgage Property Deed for Black Mule Kate, 1911
麻豆精品 S淎frican-Americans were prospering in Apopka [Florida] around the turn of the century. 麻豆精品 S� Kate the mule was evidence of this as her deed shows she was mortgaged for $25 by an African-American farmer to help finance his crops. 麻豆精品 S淸Longtime Apopka resident] Michael Gladden gave me a large stack of deeds because he wanted me to see the large amount of property [African-Americans] owned. 麻豆精品 S�
Color: A Tip-Top World Magazine, 1947
This issue of Color features the late Carter G. Woodson, one of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 foremost authorities on African-American history. 麻豆精品 S淚 bought that magazine at a thrift store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, because I had never heard of it. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the only one I have ever run across in all my collecting. 麻豆精品 S�
Trade Card, 1890
Trade cards were used for advertising since the 17th century. This example is from the Mathushek Piano Manufacturing Company in New York. 麻豆精品 S淚t is a kinder, more actual depiction on a trade card than a lot of the derogatory advertising from the same period. 麻豆精品 S�
Identification Badge No. 92086, date unknown
Found in a Florida antiques mall, this metal badge is from a shipyard in Portland, Oregon. 麻豆精品 S淒uring World War II, the Kaiser Company hired 46,000 African-Americans who migrated to Portland to work in the factories after President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 banning racial discrimination in defense plants. Everybody who worked there had to have one of these badges for security reasons. 麻豆精品 S�
Uncle Tom 麻豆精品 S檚 Cabin, 1955
Harriet Beecher Stowe 麻豆精品 S檚 landmark novel holds special significance for Mundy, as she grew up near the author 麻豆精品 S檚 house in Cincinnati. 麻豆精品 S淚 was 9 or 10 when I received this book. Once I read it, I started going to the Stowe house to look at where they used to hide people when they were coming through [on the Underground Railroad]. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淩omeo and Juliet in Dixieland 麻豆精品 S� postcard, 1890
This color postcard depicts a man and woman sharing an intimate moment in a cotton field. 麻豆精品 S淭he imagery is not necessarily meant to be derogatory, but African-Americans were [doing more than] just working in cotton fields. 麻豆精品 S�