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Woman's African-style Headwrap

National Museum of American History

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Object Details

used by
Ruffins, Fath Davis
Ruffins, Fath Davis
Description
This headwrap dating between 1972 and 1984 was worn by Fath Davis Ruffins, an African American woman in Washington, DC. Ruffins bought the fabric for this headwrap and matching dress, which is also in the Smithsonian collections, at an African shop on Georgia Avenue in Washington, DC. It was made in 1972 but was worn as part of a summer "dress-up" outfit through 1984. Elaborately tied headwraps were worn by young African American women during this period to acknowledge their West African ancestral roots.
The flat cotton rectangular panel is a large floral "Java Print" in three shades of green with yellow accents on a cream background with a dark green with yellow floral design border. The forty-six inch long rectangle is narrower on one short side (twenty inches) than the other (inches) with stitched edges. "Guaranteed Dutch Java Print" is stamped on the selvage.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Fath Davis Ruffins
1972-1984
ID Number
1992.0456.001
accession number
1992.0456
catalog number
1992.0456.001
Object Name
headwrap
Physical Description
cotton (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 46 in; 116.84 cm
made in
United States: District of Columbia, Washington
used in
United States: District of Columbia, Washington
Related Publication
Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
National Museum of American History. Treasures of American History online exhibition
Related Web Publication
http://americanhistory.si.edu/treasures
See more items in
Cultural and Community Life: Costume
Cultures & Communities
National Treasures exhibit
Clothing & Accessories
Textiles
National Museum of American History
subject
African American
Record ID
nmah_1006937
Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-9688-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Woman's African-style headwrap
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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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