The Afro-American Tradition in Decorative Arts

Covering basketry, musical instruments, wood carving, quilting, pottery, boatbuilding, blacksmithing, architecture, and graveyard decoration, John Vlach seeks to trace and substantiate African influences in the traditional arts and crafts of black Americans. It is a widespread tradition, he observes, readily visible in areas such as the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia but discernible as well in places far to the west and north. Vlach not only examines the form and content of the artifacts and structures but also relates them to the complex cultural context from which they sprang - the interwoven strands of African and European influence. The book was originally published in 1978 as the catalogue to a major exhibit by the Cleveland Museum of Art, USA.