Mabel O. Wilson is an architectural designer and cultural historian whose work critically examines the intersection of architecture, race, and history. She investigates how African Americans have historically constructed worlds within fairs and museums, exploring how these built environments both reflect and shape racial identities. Wilson's approach blends rigorous historical research with theoretical insights, offering a nuanced understanding of architectural legacies and their social implications.
The narrative explores the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, highlighting its architectural significance and role as a beacon for education on the African American experience. It delves into the museum's journey to become a vital part of America's collective memory, emphasizing its importance in shaping national identity and promoting understanding of diversity. The book captures the museum's mission to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of African Americans throughout history.
Focusing on Black Americans' participation in world’s fairs, Emancipation expositions, and early Black grassroots museums, Negro Building traces the evolution of Black public history from the Civil War through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Mabel O. Wilson gives voice to the figures who conceived the curatorial content: Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, A. Philip Randolph, Horace Cayton, and Margaret Burroughs. Originally published in 2012, the book reveals why the Black cities of Chicago and Detroit became the sites of major Black historical museums rather than the nation's capital, which would eventually become home for the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016.
This volume offers a compelling reassessment of Thomas Jefferson's architectural contributions, exploring the complex and often contradictory meanings behind his iconic work. While celebrated as a politician and statesman, Jefferson (1743-1826) was also a leading architect of early America, adept at adapting Renaissance and Enlightenment ideals to the needs of the new republic. His visionary projects include Monticello, Poplar Forest, the Capitol building in Richmond, and the University of Virginia campus. The book features a rich array of archival images, including models, paintings, and drawings, alongside essays that delve into themes of history, ethics, philosophy, classicism, neoclassicism, and social sciences. It provides a comprehensive introduction to Jefferson's architectural career, examining his sources of inspiration and the contradictions between his ideals of liberty and his acceptance of slavery. This is particularly evident in his design for the University of Virginia's academical village, which strategically concealed enslaved workers while keeping them accessible. The work offers fresh insights into Jefferson's architectural legacy, which has significantly influenced the political and social landscape of the nation and inspired generations of American architects.
