If you love Black art this item is for you. Be the proud owner of an original linocut print, "Pharoah," from Dr. Margaret Taylor Gross Burroughs (African American; 1917-2010), founder of the DuSable Museum, the first museum of African American history and culture, located in Chicago. This original print of "Pharoah" (16.75" x 14.75") was acquired from the home of Margaret and Charles Burroughs during the last acquisition and evacuation of remaining items upon the sale of the home to a private buyer. Upon the generosity of the Burroughs family who donated a large archive of materials to the South Side Community Art Center, the family extended an offering of remaining materials not gifted to the Center to the archives team charged with completing the acquisition and archival work. As the lead archivist, the family gifted items primarily related to travels, clothing, art, and music instruments to archivist Skyla S. Hearn, which influenced Hearn's ability to carry on the legacy of Dr. Burroughs. Burroughs sought to share and gift art, educate, empower and uplift people with the knowledge of her great contributions. This original print is not signed as Dr. Burroughs would often sign her works in "real time," which was an intentional act to oppose Western art canon practices. She would often give art away to people she encountered in her daily activities while riding public transportation, eating at some of her favorite restaurants, or visiting local schools. She believed art should be owned and appreciated "up close" by everyday people. Her works can be found abroad and nationally in the permanent collections of Howard University, Alabama State Normal School, Atlanta University, DuSable Museum, Johnson Publishing Company, the South Side Community Art Center, Oakland Museum, private collections, and so on.
At her death, mainstream political figures from Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to President Barack Obama released statements praising Burroughs's life and work. "Chicago is a better place because of Dr. Burroughs," said Daley. "Through her artistic talent and wide breadth of knowledge, she gave us a cultural gem." "Burroughs," said Obama, "was widely admired for her contributions to American culture as an esteemed artist, historian, educator and mentor."
Yet Burroughs's life was more than Chicago and more than cultural mentorship. She was one of the great figures of the 20th century whose life encompassed and embraced a broad spectrum of political thought about how to change the world.
If you love rare books you must place your bid for this limited edition zine. "Our Girl Tuesday: An Unfurling for Dr. Margaret T.G. Burroughs," co-edited by Skyla S. Hearn, Sarah Ross, and Tempestt Hazel. This item will be paired with the Original Linocut print, "Pharoah" created by Dr. Margaret T.G. Burroughs.
Editors' Note: "This collection of essays, interviews, poetry, art and archives honors and reflects the immense influence Dr. Margaret T. G. Burroughs had on the political and cultural life of Chicago and the lives of people she met. Dr. Burroughs was cut like a diamond, each facet of her work shaped another. She was an educator, community organizer, activist, artist, poet, historian and she built some of the city's great, lasting institutions. A special section of this booklet includes an Unfurling.
This is a social practice introduced to this project by Skyla S. Hearn whereby people, as liberatory memory workers, pull materials from existing archives and share what those materials mean to them. In this iteration, we pulled from existing archives, gathered new materials and also created new works to be entered into the archive of Dr. Burroughs. In this way, this collection iterates the impact of Dr. Burroughs and her politics of culture, care, freedom and love for Black people." -Skyla Hearn, Sarah Ross, and Tempestt Hazel.
