User:DanSchwartzapfel
 Enslaved African Americans practicing ironwork | |
| Years active | 1585 to current times |
|---|---|
| Location | Colonial North America |
| Influences | Metalworking from African countries |
Article Evaluation, African American Arts & Culture, specifically will be focusing on African American Metalsmithing, looking at iron work exhibited through architecture such as door frames, fences, and iron . While focusing on an in depth analysis of iron craftsmanship during the late civil war and post reconstruction period of the United States. Since the dominant art forms of culture back then were dance and music. African American art of iron work displays a glimpse of new art cultural identity. First, these crafts were produced on the identity of slavery and given zero merit of authorship. However, these items often made for utilitarian practice to suit the needs of everyday life, offer exuberant decorations of distinct designs. Such Items display a clear organized identity that is linked to the traditions and practices passed down by African American ancestors. These master-craftsmen continue to show a unique ability to pass through social, racial, and ethnic barriers that existed previously. Through exemplified abilities of attention to craft they gain their own recognizable identity of free artisans. The demand of new sorts of labor spurred after post independent United States of America. Finally, Metalsmithing became a common profession as free artisan African Americans retained their own style of iron work
Even before north Africas early colonial period their is tangible evidence noting African iron works technique was a craft of its own to the individuals residing there. The profession was notably viewed as The use of iron from was an important manufacturing marvel to precolonial Africa. Iron was a main component in African life. Iron ores and other precious metals are extracted through the bloomers process, until the importation of European metals after their intervention in the region.
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Lastly, post war reconstruction created a new industry of opportunity for African Americans slave artisans. Newly, Free Artisans responded to their young professions by creating guilds and trade schools situated in the south to pass on their knowledge of iron work processes. Although most often these skills are culturaly oriented and exchanged through family ties. The prime proponent to the iron work industry in the south shortly after the turn of the twentieth century was Philip Simmons.
Saunders, Edward. "BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH WROUGHT IRON SMITHS OF THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES." The Volume of the Walpole Society 67 (2005): 237-384.
Schmidt, Peter R. "RESISTING HOMOGENIZATION AND RECOVERING VARIATION AND INNOVATION IN AFRICAN IRON SMELTING." Mediterranean Archaeology 14 (2001): 219-27.
Farrington, Lisa. African-American Art: A Visual and Cultural History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Iles, Louise. "African Iron Production and Iron-Working Technologies: Methods - Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History." Oxford Research Encyclopedias. October 16, 2018.