The Costume and Textile Collection is comprised of textile fabrics and personal clothing such as: Yoruba women's cloth, West African strip weaving, tie-dyed cloth, woven bags and mats, men's fashions in selected African societies, i.e., ensembles, tams, sandals, etc.; women's fashion in West Africa, Fon appliques, raffia cloth, leatherwork, and shoulder capes from Surinam. Also included are masquerade costumes and uniforms of the Ku Klux Klan and Pullman porters. There is also a tapestry from the American Modern Master Tapestry Collection after a 1975 design by Romare Bearden titled, "Spring Festival". Most items are from Africa and date from the early 1900s to present.
Preferred citation: From the collection of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor Lenox & Tilden Foundation, Arts & Artifacts Division.
