Group of 1930's - 1940's Church Hats
Item
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Title
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Group of 1930's - 1940's Church Hats
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Description
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Church hats that would have been worn by the ladies of Mt. Zion AME Church in the late 20th century.
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Church hats hold significant cultural and historical importance within the African American community, particularly among the ladies of churches like Mt. Zion AME Church. These hats are more than just accessories; they are powerful symbols of faith, dignity, personal expression, and triumph. During slavery, there were laws created to control the appearance of African Americans. In particular, one banned Black women from wearing their hair out in public and required them to wear a headscarf known as a Tignon. They claimed their hairstyles were perceived as disruptive to the social order and wanted to distinguish between the freed women and the enslaved. However, in response to these unjust laws, many Black women pushed societal boundaries; embracing and asserting their natural beauty. Black women showed resilience and with their creativity, began to decorate their head scarfs and hats with vibrant colors and patterns as well as jewels.
The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) collection houses approximately 25 church hats, with the earliest pieces dating back to the 1930s. The majority of the collection, however, spans the 1970s through the 1990s.The hats displayed on this site are among the oldest in their collection. These hats were generously donated to the church by members of the community. In September 2024, SSAAM presented a special exhibition titled "The Head that Wears the Crown" where they displayed their historical hat collection, some of which were publicly on display for the first time. Dr. Isabela Morales, the Exhibition & Education Managermuseum, articulated the sentiment behind the exhibition: "This exhibit was a chance for us and the community to show them the love they deserve."
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A History of the Black Church in 24 Hats
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Contributor
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Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum
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Date Created
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1930s/1940s
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Creator
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Burford, Virginia, friend of Second Calvary Baptist
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Rights
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This work is not in copyright, but commercial uses of this digital representation are limited. For more information, contact info@ssaamuseum.org and see http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-NC/1.0/
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Format
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Physical Object
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Extent
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3 items
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Spatial Coverage
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Hillsborough Twp. NJ
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Publisher
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SSAAM
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Is Part Of
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SSAAM
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Subject
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Black churches
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Black churches--History
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Hats
