Pride
The objects here represent artistic mastery, human energy, imagination, and craft. They inspire us to to see the beauty and feel pride in the artistry of Black makers.
The subscriber, the Original maker of the celebrated “Poynor Chairs,” wishes to inform the public, and all who want Chairs of his make… Grateful for past favors, I respectfully ask a continuance of the same; and being now “on my own book…”
Richard “Dick” Poynor
The words of Black craftspeople such as Richard Poynor inspire us to confront the complicated dichotomies between slave labor and art. When Poynor received his freedom, he boldly declared himself the “Original maker of the celebrated Poynor chairs,” taking back an art form once attributed to others. His words illustrate the pride that enslaved people took in their work and underscore the creativity it manifested.
