Login My List - 0 Help
	Search   Search Images   About

Keyword Browse Combined Highlights Search History All Catalogs

Search:  Artist BrowseTitle BrowseSubject BrowseObject Type Browse Owner Browse       Refine Search     > You are only searching: Art Inventories

More Smithsonian Searches     Who else has...     Olney, Dan,     Robinson, Hilyard R.,     History -- United States     Portrait male -- Langston, John Mercer     Occupation -- Political     Occupation -- Law     Occupation -- Education     Occupation -- Other     Figure group -- Family     Occupation -- Farm     Object -- Foliage     Object -- Tool     Occupation -- Industry     Object -- Written Matter     Architecture exterior -- Domestic     Architecture exterior -- Education     Architecture exterior -- Industry     Cityscape     Figure group -- Female & Child     Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington     Relief     Sculpture

The Progress of the Negro Race, (sculpture). Artist:  Olney, Dan, sculptor. Robinson, Hilyard R., 1899-1986, designer. Title:  The Progress of the Negro Race, (sculpture). Dates:  Dedicated April 30, 1938. Digital Reference:  Medium:  Sculpture: terra cotta. Dimensions:  Overall: approx. H. 20 ft. W. 45 ft. Description:  The theme of rural to urban migration of African Americans is illustrated through a series of five relief vignettes framing the entrance to the courtyard playground at Langston Terrace Dwellings, a public housing complex named for well known African-American public official, John Mercer Langston. In the upper left corner, the prophetic likeness of Langston can be seen dressed in long robes and extending his proper left arm to direct the African-American farm laborers depicted in some of the vignettes to the industrial jobs in the city depicted in other vignettes. Surrounding Langston, on the left side of the entrance, are three vignettes of farm laborers. The first, at the bottom is a large family clustered around a leafy crop with their heads hung down. Above this group are two figures sowing seeds and tending a crop. A tiny farm house can be seen in the background. Just below Langston is a group of three figures, one looks down at the farm family below, and the other two look in the direction in which Langston is pointing, toward the fourth and fifth vignettes illustrating the benefits of urban life. Over the entrance, the first urban vignette depicts three figures, two of which hold tools such as a jackhammer. A smokestack and a schoolhouse can be seen in the distance. The last vignette on the far right over the entrance depicts a mother and father with a child holding a book. The city skyline can be seen in the distance. On the wall to the right side of the entrance is a three-dimensional standing female figure with two small children clinging to her legs. The female madonna figure may represent the theme of the Public Housing Authority which put an emphasis on family unity. Subject:  History -- United States -- Black History Portrait male -- Langston, John Mercer -- Full length Occupation -- Political -- Congressman Occupation -- Law -- Lawyer Occupation -- Education -- Teacher Occupation -- Other -- Reformer Figure group -- Family Occupation -- Farm -- Sowing Object -- Foliage Object -- Tool -- Hammer Occupation -- Industry -- Construction Object -- Written Matter -- Book Architecture exterior -- Domestic -- Farmhouse Architecture exterior -- Education Architecture exterior -- Industry -- Factory Cityscape Figure group -- Female & Child Object Type:  Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington Relief Sculpture Owner:  Administered by District of Columbia, Department of Public Housing, 2101 6th Street, N.E., Washington, District of Columbia Located Langston Terrace Dwellings, 2209 H Street, N.E., entrance to courtyard playground, Washington, District of Columbia 20002 Remarks:  John Mercer Langston was an African-American lawyer, teacher, politician, and civil servant. In 1888, Virginia elected him to the House of Representative making him first African-American to hold elective office in the United States. During his life, he was well known as an activist for social reform for poor Washingtonians. The architect for Langston Terrace Dwellings, Hilyard R. Robinson, designed the sculptures and sculptor, Dan Olney executed them. The sculptures were commissioned by the Treasury Art Program. IAS files contain a related article from the Washington Post, May 9, 1981, pg. B-1 which includes a partial photograph of the sculpture. IAS files also contain the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Langston Terrace Dwellings which gives the history of the housing complex and the sculptures. Additional sculpture in the playground area at Langston Terrace Dwelling include five cast concrete animals --a frog, a walrus, a sea lion, and a pair of horses. References:  Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1994. Illustration:  Image on file. Washington Post, May 9, 1981, pg. B-1. Note:  The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide. Repository:  Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Control Number:  IAS DC000223   Copy/Holding information Smithsonian AmericanArt Museum Control Number   Inventory of American Sculpture DC000223 Add Copy to MyList Format: HTMLPlain textDelimited Subject:   Email to:

Horizon Information Portal 3.25_9382

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact