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Explore stories in Northwest history through highlights from MOHAI’s collections. Search by keyword below or browse the entire online collection by entering the asterisk symbol (*). Filter your search by type of materials.

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84 results for: Black/African American

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Image of Mariano Fortuny lavender silk gown, ca. 1920s

Mariano Fortuny lavender silk gown, ca. 1920s

Mariano Fortuny and his wife Henriette first created finely pleated “Delphos” gowns in 1907. It was an unabashedly modernist look because the dress could be worn without a corset. The design was so forward thinking that Fortuny was able to produce and sell versions of the gown until his death in 1949.This dress belonged to Zoë Dusanne, Seattle's first professional…
ID Number:1963.3001.1C972
Date:Circa 1920
Image of Set of four liquor bottles from the Our House restaurant and hotel in Seattle, ca. 1898-1958

Set of four liquor bottles from the Our House restaurant and hotel in Seattle, ca. 1898-1958

Our House restaurant and hotel was owned and operated by William Grose (ca. 1835-1898), a Black sailor and prospector who arrived in Seattle in 1861. He opened Our House in 1876 on Yesler Way but the building burned down in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. One or two of these bottles may have been sold by Grose, but most…
ID Number:1967.4277.2
Date:Circa 1898-1958
Image of Hat check tag from Doc Hamilton’s resataurant, ca. 1926-1932

Hat check tag from Doc Hamilton’s resataurant, ca. 1926-1932

John Henry "Doc" Hamilton (1891-1942) moved from Mississippi to Seattle around 1914 at the age of 23. He served in WWI in the 92nd infantry division in France and returned to Seattle after the war ended. When the Prohibition Act took effect in 1920, Hamilton opened his first speakeasy in his home on E. Union Street. Seattle police shut it…
ID Number:1968.4523.2
Date:Circa 1926-1932
Image of Cross that was placed in the front yard of a Bothell home, 1991

Cross that was placed in the front yard of a Bothell home, 1991

This eight foot cross, made from cherry wood fence timber, was built by a young adult Bothell resident in protest of a Black family living in the neighborhood in 1991. Several young men helped place the cross in the front yard of the family and the base was set on fire. When a member of the family flashed the porch…
ID Number:1996.44.1
Date:1991
Image of Gray wool coat with wide skirt, ca. 1950s

Gray wool coat with wide skirt, ca. 1950s

Professional Seattle seamstress Clara B. White created and wore this dramatic coat. From it, we can tell White was not shy about adding eye-catching details. She may have worn it at First African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she taught Sunday school for 60 years. Notice the lines of ribbon and velvet diamonds, which reflect light in contrast to the coat’s…
ID Number:2000.30.1
Date:Circa 1950-1990
Image of Portrait of girl with dog from Seattle's Ruth School for Girls by Kathleen Houlahan, 1920-1930

Portrait of girl with dog from Seattle's Ruth School for Girls by Kathleen Houlahan, 1920-1930

This portrait features an unidentified Black girl with a dog in her lap. Students at the Ruth School For Girls were wards of the Seattle Juvenile Court and described as “misfits in the public schools.” The School opened in 1922 and provided school services until 1955. The artist Kathleen Houlahan (1887-1964) was born in Winnipeg, Canada, and grew up in…
ID Number:2006.23.1
Date:Circa 1920-1930
Image of Painting of children in a playground by Mark Tobey, ca. 1930s

Painting of children in a playground by Mark Tobey, ca. 1930s

Mark Tobey (1890-1976) was from the Midwest but spent much of his later life in Seattle. He is known for his abstract imagery, murals, illustrations. From 1911-1922, Tobey worked as a commercial illustrator in New York City providing fashion illustrations and caricatures for "McCalls" magazine and other publications. He spent time in Europe and immersed himself in Asian religion, and…
ID Number:2006.38.411
Date:Circa 1930
Image of Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr. "The '95 Slide" Mariners baseball bobblehead with original box, 2010

This figurine was collected by the donor at the previously named Safeco Field as a free souvenir while attending the May 7, 2010, Mariners game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California. The 2010 team season was Ken Griffey, Jr.'s final season with the Mariners; he retired mid-season on June 2, 2010. Griffey, Jr. played for the Mariners from…
ID Number:2011.5.1
Date:2010
Image of Seattle Storm souvenir lunchbox, ca. 2011

Seattle Storm souvenir lunchbox, ca. 2011

This lunchbox was handed out to basketball fans before the August 28, 2011, Seattle Storm game vs. The Los Angeles Sparks (Seattle won). It depicts Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Lauren Jackson, Ashley Robinson and Camille Little on one side; Tanisha Wright, Sue Bird, Swin Cash and Le'coe Willingham on the other.
ID Number:2011.68.1
Date:Circa 2011
Image of Washington Mutual Bank action teller doll in original packaging with accessories, ca. 2000

Washington Mutual Bank action teller doll in original packaging with accessories, ca. 2000

This doll was created as a marketing item to promote Washington Mutual's customer-friendly company policies. WaMu, a Seattle fixture from its founding in 1889, came to its demise during the 2008 recession.
ID Number:2011.WAMU.9
Date:Circa 2000
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MOHAI stands on the historic and contemporary lands and shores of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish Nations. We acknowledge the forced displacement of Native Communities from this land while honoring the endurance of the Duwamish people who still live here.
Address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle WA, 98109
Phone: 206 324 1126
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