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Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Two Boys Wearing Zoot Suits outside Fox Brothers Clothier, Chicago, Illinois, January 1942

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Artifact Overview

Harold Fox (1910-1996) claimed to be the originator of the zoot suit, which he sold at his family's Chicago-based shop, Fox Brothers Clothier. Originating in the 1930s, the style was known for oversized silhouettes. In the early 1940s, zoot suits were especially popular with Black and Mexican Americans; however, they became controversial for excessive fabric use during wartime rationing.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

January 1942

Subject Date

January 1942

Collection Title

Research Center General Photograph Collection

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

89.68.10

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Harold Fox.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Sepia (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 5 in
Width: 3.5 in

Inscriptions

on front: 1942 JANUARY 1942
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