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Cunningham, Michael, and Craig Marberry - Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats
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ladyjax for the rec!
This book originated in Michael Cunningham's photography exhibition of black women in church hats; the interviews came later, as did a stage play (which I wish I could see!). The women mostly range from 40-60 in age, with a few over 60 and a few under 40, and very few under 30. Most of them are from the South, although we have several New Yorkers as well.
The hats are gorgeous, as are the stories that go with them. Some women reminisce about watching their mothers don their church hats, they remember being forced to wear a hat or envying the ones they saw, they recall the one hat they let someone else borrow or the one passed down to them from their grandmother. They remember the first hat they bought. Many of the stories take place during the days of Jim Crow and segregation, but even then, the focus is on the church community and the family.
I didn't know very much about church hats or black churches, and I very much didn't know about the Church of God in Christ hats. Yay imperialist documentation of history and "what's important." But it was very good finding out about it via the book, and hopefully it's nostalgic and brings up fond memories for people, like it seemed to for the interviewees.
Check out some of the portraits at his website; they're gorgeous, and I can't decide which one I like best.
ladyjax for the rec!This book originated in Michael Cunningham's photography exhibition of black women in church hats; the interviews came later, as did a stage play (which I wish I could see!). The women mostly range from 40-60 in age, with a few over 60 and a few under 40, and very few under 30. Most of them are from the South, although we have several New Yorkers as well.
The hats are gorgeous, as are the stories that go with them. Some women reminisce about watching their mothers don their church hats, they remember being forced to wear a hat or envying the ones they saw, they recall the one hat they let someone else borrow or the one passed down to them from their grandmother. They remember the first hat they bought. Many of the stories take place during the days of Jim Crow and segregation, but even then, the focus is on the church community and the family.
I didn't know very much about church hats or black churches, and I very much didn't know about the Church of God in Christ hats. Yay imperialist documentation of history and "what's important." But it was very good finding out about it via the book, and hopefully it's nostalgic and brings up fond memories for people, like it seemed to for the interviewees.
Check out some of the portraits at his website; they're gorgeous, and I can't decide which one I like best.
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