04/15/09 update: The draft for the brochure text is below. Please read carefully and let us know if you would like any changes to be made. It will be very difficult to make changes to the brochure text after Friday, April 17th. So please get your suggestions in before then!! (I've also attached it below as a Word doc)
Introduction:
This is a Rhode Island story—a Fox Point story. "Remember the Old Times: Cape Verdean Community in Fox Point," organized and created by Brown University’s “Methods in Public Humanities” class, explores the memories and history of the Cape Verdean immigrants who lived in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence from 1920 to 1945. Together, the Cape Verdean community created a unique neighborhood in Fox Point, one based on the food and flavors they brought with them, on the melodic sounds of the Krioulo tongue, and on the comforts and safety of social and community organizations. Since the dates reflected in the exhibition, Fox Point has undergone significant changes; highway construction and historical preservation in the 1960s and 1970s forced many of the Cape Verdean Fox Pointers to move to other areas of Providence and Rhode Island, dispersing the close community that once lived there. This exhibition is a journey through memory and time, an attempt to recreate the spirit of adaptation and the strength of family that once characterized this distinctive Providence community.
Overview of content:
The exhibit focuses on those spaces and activities that not only formed the pillar of community life between 1920 and 1945, but also continue to live on today in Fox Pointers’ memories.
"Home" examines the ways in which homes in Cape Verdean Fox Point blurred the lines between family and community, at once reinforcing the traditions of Cape Verde while creating a vibrant, tightly-knit neighborhood in Providence.
“Cultivating Community” explores the relationships amongst the Cape Verdean community, benevolent organizations and religious institutions.
“Music” recounts the role of music in the Cape Verdean Fox Point to both strengthen social networks within the new community as well as foster ties to a shared cultural past.
“The Street” considers the importance of the neighborhood’s outside space, which served as the connective tissue for the community and as a playground for Fox Point’s children.
“Port” reveals the importance of the waterfront for Cape Verdeans: as a site of (im)migration and the primary place of employment for the men in Fox Point, it represented both the many opportunities and the hardships experienced by the community.
“The Bar” looks at the significance of lounges and pubs as gathering spots for Fox Point longshoremen to socialize in between work shifts, cheer on boxing matches, or unwind in the evenings.
“Mapping Fox Point” recreates the Fox Point of 1920-1945 and connects it with today's neighborhood through an early map of the community, photographs, and an opportunity to add your own stories to the geography of the neighborhood.
Curatorial Statement:
This exhibition is the latest project in a larger, collaborative effort to preserve the memories and history of the Cape Verdean Fox Point community. In addition to “Remember the Old Times: Cape Verdean Community in Fox Point,” Fox Pointers and Brown students have worked together through the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America and the John Nicholas Brown Center to collect oral histories, compile photography archives, and raise awareness about Fox Point’s history. As a collection, these projects represent a broader view of Fox Point than the exhibition does alone, preserving the stories of non-Cape Verdeans who also once called Fox Point home. Today, while the stories of the community remain alive in the people who once lived there, it is especially important to listen; only then will we be able to preserve the rich history of Providence.
--“"Remember the Old Times: Cape Verdean Community in Fox Point" Curatorial Team
Thank you section
The students of “Methods in Public Humanities” gratefully acknowledge the support of the following individuals who were instrumental in the development of this exhibit:
Alberto Pina
Chachi Carvahlo
Jo Andrade
Romana Ramos
Marlene Lopes
Yvonne Smart
Johnny Costa
Lou Costa
Claire Andrade-Watkins
Annie Valk
Chelsea Shriver
Ron Potvin
The John Nicholas Brown Center
The Cape Verdean Museum Exhibit
Susan Mitchem
Major Kathleen Bearcroft
Quotes we would like to include:
“We were a very close community...we lost things in Fox Point that we should have never lost. It really pains me when I go through Fox Point now. When I was young I could walk through Fox Point and it would take me three hours saying hello to everyone. Now I walk through at times and there's not one person that I know, that I grew up with.” – Lou Costa
“Once a Fox Pointer, always a Fox Pointer.”
Exhibit Hours:
May 9, 2009-???
Monday-Friday Hours
Saturday-Sunday Hours
04/06/09 update: Attached is a word doc of our content drafts, including: introduction, revised content overview, curatorial statement, picture suggestions, quote possibilities. Check it out!
04/03/09 Update: The following are drafts of texts to go into the brochure. Please feel free to give us feedback, particularly regarding the wording of your exhibit. The powerpoint from this morning's class is posted below as an attachment.
Introduction (Allison):
This is a Rhode Island story—a Fox Point story. "Remember the Old Times...", organized and created by Brown University’s “Methods in Public Humanities” class, explores the memories and rituals of the Cape Verdean immigrants who lived in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence from 1920 to 1945. Sharing food, work on the port, and community centers and organizations, the Cape Verdeans who moved to Providence created a distinctive home for themselves in Fox point, one based on the unique flavors they brought with them, on the melodic sounds of the Creole tongue, and on the comforts and safety of community. This exhibition is the result of that journey—through memory and time, from Cape Verde to America—and a glimpse into the spirit of adaptation and the strength of family.
Overview of content (Cornelia):
The exhibit focuses on those spaces and activities that not only formed the pillar of community life between 1920 and 1940, but also continue to live on today in Fox Pointers’ memories.
“Home” examines the ways in which homes in Cape Verdean Fox Point blurred the lines between family and community and represented both a new life in Providence as well as a continuation of traditions from Cape Verde.
“San Antonio Society” tells the story of how the Cape Verdean immigrant community relied on mutual aid organizations and religious institutions for support both in times of uncertainty and in times of celebration.
“Music” recounts the role of music in the Cape Verdean Fox Point to both strengthen social networks within the new community as well as foster ties to a shared cultural past.
“Street/Neighborhood life” considers the importance of the neighborhood’s outside space, which served as the connective tissue for the community and as a vibrant playground for Fox Point’s children.
“Port” reflects on the dual importance of the waterfront for the Cape Verdean community— not only was it literally the point of entry into America; but also, as the main place of employment for Cape Verdean men, it represented both the opportunity and hardship in their new life.
“Bar” looks at the significance of taverns, lounges, and pubs as a gathering spot for Cape Verdean men to unwind after work, conduct union business, and catch up on community news.
Written Sections still to come:
- Curatorial statement from class addressing dispersal of Fox Point community
- Sponsor list
- Thank-you’s
- List of associated events
- Quotes
3/30 Meeting
We plan to use a 3-panelled format for the brochure, which will cost around $350 for 250 copies, and about $100 more if we choose to include a publicity postcard in printing. We plan to organize the brochure in the following way:
Panel 1—Cover, with a large image and the title, possibly to include a map of Cape Verde
Panel 2: Inside Cover. We will start with 1 or 2 tone-setting quotes at the top of the sheet, probably derived from Claire’s movie, and then followed by a 150-word introduction/summary of the exhibit. The text will include the timeline of the exhibit (1920-1945), some general information about Cape Verdean life in Fox Point at the time, and will emphasize the themes of family, memory and community.
Panel 3: This panel will include information about the specific content of the exhibit, listing the main sections and very briefly explaining their respective roles—societies and organizations, home life, music, street, port, bar. We will need to talk with the working groups to get a sense of their mission and what to include.
Panel 4: A list of the sponsors of the exhibit, and a potential curatorial statement. Questions to consider: who should write this? Should it be from our class? From Steve? From Claire? Is there a conflict of interest if the statement is written by Claire?
Panels 2, 3 and 4 will hopefully include a faded image of a map of Fox Point. This image will lend a sense of continuity to the three inside panels.
Panel 5: Large, evocative image, overlaid with important words: community, stories, family, memory, etc.
Panel 6 (back panel): A list of associated events, and another image if there is room.
We plan to use images throughout. Maybe cut-outs with wrapped text?
In moving forward, it will be important to speak with: Main Label team, Publicity team, Claire, and Erin.
For the curatorial statement, we may have Claire answer (in as few words as possible) Why is this exhibit important? Why is Fox Point important? We would include both the question and the answer on panel 4.
Some other things to consider: colors? Pictures will be black and white, and the map outline would probably be black and white. Background color? Text color? Warm or dark colors?
Images: some specific appropriate ones from the back of Manny Almeida’s Ringside Lounge, there are more to be checked on the Flickr site.