Project Descriptions
Annie B. | Dual-sided Sewn/Designed Race Doll
My project uses toy dolls with opposite tones of skin to dive into the racial conflict that many bi-racial children experience when first navigating their racial identity. Each side appears to be wearing somewhat traditional attire to what their outward appearance may at first look like. However, with a closer inspection element of the Anglo Saxton tribes as mentioned in the “Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man” appear on the African American’s side. While on the Caucasian side, symbols and aspects of traditionally African American culture can be found. The doll is inspired by the questions that arise surrounding how the main character may approach explaining his children’s racial heritage. Although the children may present to the world as “passing”, or white, that does not take away from the fact that they are still African Americans. The doll is a symbol to serve as a reminder of the “question of the negro”, as well as to reinforce the importance of remembering that the world’s labels do not define your ethnic history or its significance. The struggle between being able to safely express your heritage and still being socially accepted persists just as strongly in America today as it did throughout the entirety of our main protagonist’s life in the “Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” The racial turmoil will presumably continue to haunt the children of the protagonist, no matter how he decides to raise them.
Anapaula D. A. | Google Tour
I created a Google Maps locational point tour of where the Ex-colored Man traveled, throughout his life. For each location, there is an explanation of why he visited or went to each location, what events happened or took place at each location, and how each place impacted him. Experiencing in new or places, in general, have a big of an impact on how we view/think about controversial, racial, and or more events/ things. It can either open our minds, leave us with confusion, questioning and, or just get us thinking about what we have reflected on the events or things said in a place. The Ex-Colored man has learned many things along the way that have impacted his identity and what he wants to be identified as. This tour is breaking down the main ways on how it impacted him.
Claire D. | Crochet Doll
My project is a crochet doll interpretation of the Ex-colored Man, specifically during the period of his life at the end of the book. His design reflects the white and privileged side of his person, with his skin being pale, his once wavy hair being shaved, and his clothing looking expensive and upper-class. The doll also comes with accessories of important objects from the novel. The list includes the following: piano, ten-dollar coin, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, stolen tie, cigar, dice, revolver, and money.
Presented by: Doll standing against origami piano with each item laid out in front of it. Small, tented cards explain each item, and a framed card describes the doll.
Jaelah F. | Digital Art/Posters
My project uses a satirical visual representation in the form of a do’s and don’ts list to show the difference in cultural standards and what’s acceptable in the urban and suburban areas of America. There are two lists– a do and a don’t– for each region that will include basic expectations of black people in each place. I used the expectations the narrator outlines in the novel as well as my personal experiences. I chose this project because I feel it can best show how the expectations and the acceptance of black people differ depending on where they live which was a common thinking point for our narrator. In a satirical way, my checklists make this information digestible for everyone.
Marcos F. | Pencil Drawing
This is a drawing of a man playing the saxophone. I spent a lot of time on it especially when this is the first time I have done a drawing like this. I drew this as a representation of the Ragtime era. Ragtime played a big role in the protagonist’s life. When someone thinks of ragtime they usually think of a saxophone and that’s why the man is playing the saxophone. Ragtime was a big thing in the book because it was something the protagonist was really good at; good enough to make money doing it, and good enough to get involved with interesting and influential people like The Widow and The Millionaire.
Nadia G. | 3D, Multi-medium Piano Sculpture
My project is a sculpture of a piano to show the importance of the instrument in the Ex-Colored Man’s (ECM) life. A musical child prodigy, the piano was a prolific part of the ECM from the beginning. In my sculpture, the piano is sturdy and solid because the piano is the one consistent in our protagonist’s life. On the piano, you can see the many events that either inspired him to play or the ways the piano actually shaped him into who is. Behind the piano, there are small explanations of these inspirations and events. For example, on the piano, there are words which represent all the big events in ECMs life.
Aaliyah H. | Multimedia Art Project
This project is a hand painting of a map of the world which includes pinpointed locations of each place that was visited in the story. Including pop-ups of the tragic or drastic changes of events at each of these places with detailed reasoning on its significance in the story and how it affects the main character. The map also shows the love for music that was presented in the novel through the map which includes individual handmade musical notes instead of state lines and mountains. The diversity of races is also present with an included population of each race mentioned in the story.
Lavelle M. | Short Stories
My project shows you the many different ways that the book The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man can end. Using parts of the book, I offer you three different ways ECM could have lived his life. For example, one of the other things that ECM could have done is return to Atlanta University and finish his college degree.
Lexus P. | Trifold, Poster Presentation
My project uses a poster to give a visual representation of the symbolic meaning behind the character’s in our novel being nameless. In the introduction of “The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, our Narrator explains why he doesn’t use names. However, I believe there is a bigger, underlying meaning. Using direct quotes from the book of how each character is described, I analyzed the meaning of the characters not having names. I compared this concept to William Shakespeare’s famous “What’s in a Name?” speech from the well-known play “Romeo and Juliet” to show the significance of this particular symbolic concept.
So, what is in a name? Although names can be biblical or have a significant meaning, the name itself means nothing in regards to the person or thing it is connected to. We all have the power to change our names, it may change how people see us or judge us but it won’t actually change who we are. After analyzing these two texts, I have learned that only this in a name is what we are called, and referred to, nothing more.
Payton S. | Video Game Proposal
My video game proposal represents a big theme from Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man in a story-based video game using choices and environment. The story is separate from the main story in the novel, but the theme of individual achievement and collective progress is represented through the choices presented to the player. The game features a main character, James, taking a journey through the environments of each part of the story, earning experience and learning new skills in order to achieve progress towards the end.
Joycelyn W. | Doll and a Poster
The multi skin-colored doll and poster represent the different skin tones in the African American Community. Throughout The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, the narrator benefits a lot from colorism. He is treated better than his darker-skinned counterparts. My doll represents the many colors an African American can be. The fact surrounding the doll is textual evidence from the novel regarding times where our protagonists lighter skin tone benefitted him.