"Wide Awakes" Tote Bag, 2020

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Artifact Overview

The Wide Awakes group was formed in 1860 by abolitionist youth activists to support Lincoln's presidential campaign. In 2020, New York City-based artists and culture workers revived the Wide Awakes movement to promote anti-racism and visible allyship with Black voters. This bag was created by Royal Jelly Harlem, a woman-owned business focusing on meshing traditional and contemporary African textile designs.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Tote bag

Date Made

2020

Creator Notes

Bag made by Royal Jelly Harlem and printing done by Kingsland Printing.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2020.206.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cotton (Textile)

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height: 24.5 in (Including handles)
Width: 13.75 in
Length: 0.5 in

Inscriptions

on back: THE WIDE AWAKES ARE A GROUP WHO / BELIEVE IN THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY AND / IN THE POWER TO RADICALLY REIMAGINE / THE FUTURE THROUGH COLLABORATION. / INDIVIDUALLY WE ARE ASLEEP, TOGETHER WE ARE AWAKE (C)1860 -[infinity symbol] / ROYAL JELLY / HARLEM