Eunice Johnson (History) Why Eunice Johnson Inspires Us 8

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Also, thanks to the many individuals who continue to donate to the Arts @ Large Peacemaking Cornerstone! Ebony Fashion Project 2015 contents Meet The Team 2

What Beauty Means to me Qualities of an Inspiring Woman 5

Eunice Johnson (History) Why Eunice Johnson Inspires Us 8

Interviews 12

Fabric Art Project 18

“Our Ebony Fashion Project”

This is a collection of thoughts, research and ideas that stemmed from discussions inspired by the Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair show exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Put together by an all-girls team from Rufus King International Middle School, the girls dedicated their time towards this project, growing and expanding their mental horizon.

MEET THE TEAM [HELLO]

Meet the creative all-girls team from Rufus King International Middle School that worked on this project. Our Ebony Fashion Project

TEAM PROFILES [THIS IS WHO I SAY I AM] HELLO “I think every person has their own identity and beautiful. If we were all the same, it would be boring.”

~Tila Tequila~

My name is Arriana, but in the I am a young lady who has always My name is Corday Canada. I future, my adoring audience will been misunderstood. I was not have always been taller than yell “Tea-O.” I am 13 years old. I act born rich, I am not happy all the everyone else, I’ve always felt quite mature for my age, while still time, but I try my very best to stay di erent than everyone else. having a good time. I really like this uplifted. Fashion is one thing that I Growing up , I always knew I project because it teaches me can say has hel ped me stay happy. wanted to be somebody in life I don’t know if its just the colors or and I knew in order to do that I’d types of art. It also teaches me the di erent styles, but fashion in have to start somewhere. I’ve al- about the history of the Ebony itself makes me feel free. Its the ways liked looking di erent and I Fashion Fair, which I would like to way I express myself. My name is express myself with what I wear, continue learning about. Brianna Shaw and I adore fashion! and how I style my hair. I want to ~Arriana~ ~Brianna~ be a model someday! ~Corday~ I am Jocelyn Gibson, I love art and I’m a normal person I guess. I fashion. I love drawing comics and mean I like a lot of things that other My name is Devine Wilks, I am cartoons. I like to dress up in classic people do too. I am a typical girl. I going to tell you about myself. I hats like fedoras, but I like beanies love singing, swimming, biking, love fashion, and I cannot leave and snapbacks as well. I really like running, watching K-DRAMAS the house without an outt that “swagged” out pants like joggers (Korean TV shows), listening to matches! My favorite color is and skinnies. My shirts are usually K-POP (Korean pop) and playing pink. I like to draw and play plain if my pants are dramatic and CCC (Chit Chat City: online virtual tenn is. Although I am not a vice-versa. My art is my stress GAME) I also LOVE Korean food. morning person, I like to go to reliever, my music too! I write I like fashion because it lets me school everyday. I do not like to songs, play the keyboard, express my creativity. I enjoyed this stay in the house, I like to get saxophone, harmonica, and guitar. project becau se it was fun. outdoors. ~Jocelyn~ ~Nancy~ ~Devine~

3 Our Ebony Fashion Project Our Ebony Fashion Project

What does beauty mean to me? Well...for me, beauty is more than skin deep. Beauty is inside as well as WHAT BEAUTY outside. It’s like taking your time to help someone in need. “Beautiful” is a word MEANS TO ME used to describe a lot of or lake...but what people dont realize is that it’s so, so [PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE] much more! ~Arriana~

You have to accept yourself for who you are, before you are able to accept others for who they are. True beauty lies within the goodness of your heart and soul. We sometimes forget this, living in todays society. We love each other from the outside alone and forget the inside. ~Jocelyn~

Beauty is something thats on the inside and out. Beauty is something that can never be taken away. “To me beauty is loving who you are. Loving Beauty is something that God gave everyone on Majority of people today think that beauty is earth. Most of all, beauty is YOU. however believe that you can be beautiful ~Corday~ whether you are plump, or bald. It really doesnt matter, as long as YOU feel beautiful. That is what beauty means to me.” ~Brianna~

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STUDENT POLL. To me beauty is not just about what you The Best Piece Of Fashion Advice I’ve Ever Received wear. It is how you smile and your person- ality. The way you act is really important. Like our teacher Ms. Huckeby, she has a Always look presentable in public. Take pride in how nice peronality and a nice smile, this makes you look. her beautiful, not what she wears, not her skin color, or her make-up of the day. Never mix black and blue as two solid colors. ~Devine~ Just because something is in fashion doesn’t mean you have to wear it. Dress for YOU, not the latest of beauty. Some people limit it to how trends. someone looks, but to me beauty is how “pure” a person is on the inside. Of course if someone is mean, it doesnt mean they are Buy less, choose well. Don’t wear it unless you can dance in it. how nice a person is. It really doesnt matter what a person may look like physically. It Button down blouses are intended to do one thing doesn’t matter because we all look dif- and one thing alone — stay buttoned down. frent from each other. Who am I to judge someone physically when I am not perfect myself? Everyone is beautiful in their own If you feel uncomfortable, you probably look ways. So basically, beauty is everything you see, even when you don’t think so. you’re wearing. ~Nancy~

“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty and place into each shoe. Let it freeze overnight. As are written across her face, she the water freezes, it’ll gently expand your shoes. will be beautiful.”

~Eleanor Roosevelt~

feel free to pass some of these on! What’s your best fashion advice?

As a part of our Ebony project, we had lengthy disccusions about beauty and we skin deep. We shared our experiences and talked about people we thought were beautiful both in and out. Eunice Johnson was a woman that came up in these discus- ‘‘BUY LESS sions. She was beautiful both in and out, especially beacause she paved the way for women of color around the world. choose well” Our Ebony Fashion Project

MY TAKE ON IT Qualities of an inspiring woman are endless, however, I’ll narrow it down to the 5 that I 5 qualities of think are most important. Women that inspire others, have to be inspired themsleves. Finding good role models is quality number one.

The second quality is strength. An inspiring an inspiring woman has to be strong enough to handle things that come her way.

An inspiring woman also has to be independent, woman that doesn’t mean that she cannot depend on others. It just means that she should be independent enough to be stable and self [BE INSPIRING TODAY] con dent through her own means.

The fourth quality of an inspiring woman is that she has to be experienced and willing to learn.

Last but not least an inspiring woman must be intelligent to give advice in order to inspire others. ~Jocelyn~

TO INSPIRE OTHERS

1. Have a purpose in everything you do 2. Believe in what you do 3. Have empathy, help others 4. Encourage and motivate others 5. Think big, do not be discouraged by how things are now - have a vision for the future QUOTED: “If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can ‘‘BELIEVE IN succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” WHAT YOU DO” ~Roopleen~

7 Our Ebony Fashion Project eunice johnson [phenomenal woman] say, “She doesn’t have what it takes”; They will say, “Women don’t have what it takes” ~Clare Boothe Luce~

Susam, nost, saperovid quam facia- sitatur alit exero beaque lam, quam, corro corpos iur, sundae nobitatque Eunicesunto Johnson dolore nimil idus repe ped mag- nimp erciur, nonseq Our Ebony Fashion Project

unice W. Johnson, was born per-class people they could be. Especially on April 4th, 1916 in Selma in a time period where segregation was Alabama. She was the wife of rampant and class was wrongfully deter- publisher John Johnson. Mrs mined by race. Johnson was an executive at EJohnson Publishing Company, but was n the beginning, it was hard for an best known as the founder and direc- African-American client to book tor of the Ebony Fashion Fair. The Ebony appointments with top designers. Fashion Fair started in the 1950’s. It was e - a hospital fundraiser to begin with and nice Johnson, a woman of color. then became an annual fashion tour that IBut with hard work and determination showcased fashion for African American she went ahead and acquired the cloth- women. This show ran up until a year ing she wanted through retail channels before her death. What started as a and reached out to top international de- charity fashion show, became a 51-year signers. Alas! She had created a bond tradition of sponsoring a traveling fash- rooted in the love for fashion, an op- ion show featuring African-American portunity for equality among the races designers and models, raising money for within the industry where black and causes relevant to the black community. white were no longer colors of segregation and class determination. She contrib- he graduated with a degree uted toward s social change in an industry in sociology from Talladega that had the potential to unite people. College in 1938. During her time in college she became a s the fashion fairs con- member of Delta Sigma The- u S highlight the works of Af- sorority of college educated women, rican American designers, dedicated to public service with an she created a cosmetic line, emphasis on programs that target the A(Fashion Fair Cosmetics 1973) a solution community. suited to the skin tones of her models. ogether with her husband, they established the “Negro ohnson passed away on Janu- Digest.” The success of their ary 3, 2010, at the age of 93 at her home in Chicago. She is sur- them to create “Ebony” and vived by her daughter Linda Tthey created a legacy that would con- Johnson Rice, chairwoman and tinue even after her passing away. John- Jchief executive of Johnson Publishing, son knew from her experience with the as well as by a granddaughter. She was magazine and publication world that buried with her husband in a private fam- African-American women needed to see ily mausoleum at Oak Woods Cemetery. inspirational clothing that would She has left behind a legacy as both a inspire them to be the middle- and up- fashion pioneer and a social change icon.

*Information on the life of Eunice Johnson was researched by the Mrs. Eunice Walker Johnson student team and collected from multiple sources. Stylized Image left.

9 Our Ebony Fashion Project why eunice johnson inspires us [fashion pioneer and social change icon]

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls. ~Joseph Campbel~

‘‘SHE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER” EUNICE INSPIRES ME BECAUSE...

1) Eunice Johnson followed her dreams who had been demoralized by society. regardless of the limitations that faced She promoted black self-empower- her. A big limitation was race equality, ment. which was challenged by the imple- 4) Eunice Johnson built a legacy that mented Jim Crow laws of the time that continues even after her passing away. brought about segregation. In her own unique way Eunice Johnson 2) Mrs. Johnson brought all types of broke the color barrier in high fashion. people together. She weaved a tapes- 5) Mrs. Johnson was intially shunned try of people bound together through at European Haute Couture fashion their talent not separated by race. She houses who were hostile about seeing proudly featured black designers like black women wear their garments. But Lenora Levon, Rufus Barkley, and Ange- la B’Nai but she also wanted to include gave up. She wanted to prove there haute couture, so she reached out to in- was no barrier to beauty and she did it ternational designers. masterfully. 3) Eunice Johnson helped pave the 6) She was a good role model and a way for a sense of good self esteem woman with a love of color and a for all women especially black girls, passion for helping others.

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INTERVIEWS [STUDENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS]

EVENT: Fashion Fair Reunion Hosted by the Milwaukee Art Museum, the girls attended a Fashion Fair reunion event and were able to interview people of all backgrounds who had a wealth of knowledge about the Fairs. This included models, designers, as well as people who had attended shows. Below are some of the questions written by the girls in preparation for this event.

Topic: General • Have you seen the exhibit? (in case

entering exhibit) • What did you learn tonight that you didn’t know before? • How is fashion personal to you?

Topic: Fashion Fair Memories • Does her life inspire you and why? • Did you ever attend a Fashion Fair? • Did the Ebony movement change or • What is your favorite memory of it? enhance your life or self esteem? • Why do you believe the Ebony move- Fashion Fair? ment was important for breaking • Do you have personal connections to barriers? the Fashion Fair? (family, friends, etc) • What was the hardest thing about this period of history? How is Ebony a positive Topic: Civil Rights / Activism movement / response to the racial, • Eunice Johnson has been called political climate? “a fashion Civil Rights activist.” What have • Do you think fashion & beauty are part you learned from Mrs. Johnsons story? of women’s free speech / expression? Our Ebony Fashion Project

1) Beatrice Campbell:

Q: Did you ever attend an Ebony Fashion Show? What I decided to do was I took 5 friends and A: Yes, many of ‘em Q: What is your favorite memory of it? the town. [It was a prize] sponsored by Pine-Sol A: My favorite memory was the year I was and so for that I was featured in October Jet selected as a winner (laughs). I got to go on the Magazine, and April ’05 Ebony Magazine. stage!

Fashion Fair? A: I believe because my mom was involved with The Links and they were sponsoring the Fashion Show, and she was [in] ticket sales, and so I went every year. I was always going every year. Q: How old were you? A: When I started going? Hmm I would say about 24, 25? Q: You mentioned you were selected as a “winner” at the show you attended? Can you tell us more about that? Beatrice Campbell put your ticket stub into a drum and they pulled mine. I was actually in the audience and they pulled my name, and they asked me to come down on the stage and I won a thousand dollars, and you got to choose the place that you’d want to spend the thousand dollars.

‘‘I took 5 friends and my sister with a chauffeur & limousine around the town ”

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2) Harrison D. Kern Q: Have you seen the exhibit? to regularly go. A: Yes, I have. Q: What did you learn tonight that you didn’t A: Wow, probably in my late teens when I started to know before? go, maybe 18, 19? And I went for a long time, in fact, A: Um, I don’t know what I learned, other than maybe pretty much until it stopped be a regular show here. Q: Do you have any personal connections to the Fash- was an advocate & participant in the Fashion Fair when ion Fair? it actually exhibited here every September. It was at A: In a way yes. A number of people I personally met, the Performing Arts Center downtown in Milwaukee, and when they came to Milwaukee they would call and I made a habit of going every year. And in fact, I me and we would take them out on the town. So a actually bought some items that were shown as a part number of those people, I actually met personally, and of the Fair, and I’m actually going to wear one on the know personally. Including a number of musicians runway tonight. who would play behind the scenes. They were from Q: How is fashion important to you? Chicago, and they actually played while the models A: I was telling a friend of mine who actually runs did their catwalks. Pittsburgh Fashion Week, that “Fashion is everything, Q: Eunice Johnson has been called “a fashion Civil and everything is fashion.” The reason I say that, is Rights activist.” that everything that we buy, and everything we look A: And that is very true, in that, a lot of what Mrs. John- at has a fashion component. If you look at how things son did, were things that were not only unique, but are styled, whether it’s a car, whether it’s a house, it gave a perspective from the black community that whether it’s your clothes, even the packaging that was not seen in the general population, and it was not goes into things that you buy that have nothing to do seen from Paris, and not seen from some of the other (you would think) with fashion, are still fashion orient- designers who were not black. So it was a tremendous ed. Because some body has to design the package that it’s sold in. And so everything is fashion. And it meant as much as a lot of other Civil Rights Q; Did you ever attend an Ebony Fashion Show? events that were more known for being that. And it A: Yes, many times. Many times. was done in a very quiet, but very deliberate way. Q: What was your favorite memory? Q: What have you learned from Mrs. Johnson’s story? A: Well, my favorite memory, is actually one of the times the Fashion Fair was here, and I became ac- pleasure of meeting Mr. Johnson, her husband, actu- quainted with a number of people who were actually ally at the headquarters of their particular building. A in the show and one of the young ladies was a com- friend of mine, ended up being in the Ebony Fashion mentator and a model named Pamela Fernandez. F I ended up in a lit tle bitty sports car that I had at the He was one of my heroes, because that whole story of time, I ended up with 4 models and we went to a big how he started Ebony Magazine, with a loan from his club in Milwaukee, and it was so funny as I pulled up parents, and ended up being one of the most wealthy and as all these 6 foot models are getting out of my people in the US was a phenomenal story, and he car, of course, it was the talk of the town for a long was a very humble person. I loved their story, and end- time, and I was just so, full of myself (laughs)! ed up really liking him. Q: How does Eunice Johnson’s story inspire you? Fair? A: Anybody successful inspires me. Anybody that is - doing something that is positive, that is doing some- zine. I had subscriptions for that and Jet Magazine, so thing that they create, that is all inspiring to me.

and then I saw advertisements locally here, in either the newspaper or some other press and I just started Our Ebony Fashion Project

3) Evelyn McCroy Q: Have you seen the exhibit? Q: Did you ever attend a Fashion Fair? A: I did attend Fashion Fair when they were doing it see this wonderful Ebony exhibit. And I really enjoyed live, years ago. When it was at the Pabst Theater here in Milwaukee. And I always enjoyed the enthusiasm the textures. that the commentators brought to the show. Q: What did you learn tonight that you didn’t know Q: What is your favorite memory of it? before? A: My favorite memory was seeing something that A: Well what I learned tonight that I didn’t know reminded me of Dianna Ross when she started Ma- has mostly to do with Mrs. Johnson. I didn’t know hogany. Very expressive, kind of edgy, full of color, that she was such a pioneer. You know, to be behind and vibrant. this thrust of movement to bring such lovely fashions Q: How does Eunice’s life inspire you and why? for African Americans to the United States (and all A: Eunice inspires me to be a little bit more daring over). when it comes to fashion and choosing my own ward- Q: How is fashion personal to you? robe, focusing on colors, shapes and textures. A: Fashion to me is being able to explore shapes, textures, and colors, and to make life fun, and a lot more interesting. Less boring.

Harrison D. Kern Evelyn McCroy

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you, the consumer, who would buy it! Those were my Q: What did you learn tonight that you didn’t know dreams, and they continue to be my dreams. before? Q: Did Mrs. Johnson’s life inspire you? A: Well, I didn’t know that I was going to be part of A: Absolutely, her life inspired me! She was like a trail the exhibit! blazer. Because she was not afraid to go to Paris, to go Q: How is fashion personal to you? to Italy, to Hong Kong, into those fashion capitals of A: I love fashion, I love how good you feel when you the world and say “I want that garment for my fashion walk out of your door in the morning when you’ve show.” And while they didn’t care for African Ameri- presented yourself in the way you want to feel, in the cans back then, she still went in there, she would garments you want to feel in. write them a check, and say “I want it that way, and I Q: Did you ever attend a Fashion Fair? want it in blue.” And she got her way. Never be afraid A: I did! In 1975, when I had a garment actually in to pursue what you want! the fashion show! I went to Mount Mary College, and Q: What was the hardest thing about this period of I sold a garment to Ebony Fashion Fair, and Eunice history? How is Ebony a positive movement / re - John son purchased it, and it traveled the world with sponse to the racial, political climate? them! And it came to Milwaukee - it was the cool- A: There will always be challenges in your life. est thing – I was presented [at the show] as a local Regardless of your race, your creed, your color, or what Milwaukee designer. you want to do with your life, believe in yourself, and Q: What is your favorite memory of the show? you’ve got to have somebody along the way who will A: When I was presented in ’75 for the show, and the believe in you. commentator, Audrey Smaltz, who was with the NY Q: Do you think fashion & beauty are part of women’s Fashion week, she said “And here’s Milwaukee’s own free speech? RUTH MCDUFFIE!!!” And my dress came out, and the A: Are you kidding me, did you see the dress I sold to model wore it, and spun around and took the cape Ebony? In 1975, I went to Mount Mary College, [and my design] had a lot of skin showing, and the nuns audience, and the audience all clapped, and it was were very upset with me. Yes, believe in your dreams like being in Hollywood (laughs). Just another day! and you can make it! Q: How did you feel about that experience? A: I was just taken aback, it was just very very cool. You know, everyone has their 15 minutes of fame, and mine lasted a little bit longer, because I got to go behind stage afterwards, and meet with some of the models and the commentator as well. It was very cool. Q: What have you learned from Mrs. Johnson’s story? A: Mrs. Johnson taught me to never be afraid to follow your dreams. And that’s my message to you young people. Never be afraid to follow your dream! You want to be a fashion designer? Go be a fashion designer! I wanted to be a fashion designer, and I designed, but it wasn’t quite what was gonna take me where I wanted to be. So I ended up being a buyer at Boston Store, in retail. Very closely related. I got to travel the world for Boston Store, I went to Europe, the Middle East, the Far East. All purchasing garments to bring back to Boston Store to sell to people like Our Ebony Fashion Project

5) Lilian McFarlane Q: What did you learn tonight that you didn’t A: Yes, I think the Ebony movement certainly did that. I know before? think [at the time] fashion was dictated mostly by a ma- A: The one thing that I experienced and learned tonight jority group. You know you see the models being one was about the fact that Eunice Johnson brought clothing in from very many designers from all over the world. certain way. And so thats what Ebony did for the Afri - I was very impressed and surprised by that. can American population, and for the black population Q: How is fashion personal to you? around the world was to show that fashion is for every- A: Fashion, for me, is an opportunity for one to show who they are, to personalize their own style. Fashion is about looking beautiful, f eeling beautiful, and walking that were bright and colorful that really feature our skin beautiful. It can be anything that one wears, whether it’s tone. So I think Ebony brought it out, and made people feel proud about who they are and what they are like. fact that it’s something personal and that you enjoy, that And color is one thing that we do enjoy very much. Its makes it fashion. something that we have to realize, our population is di- Q: Do you believe that the Ebony movement helped to verse in shape, size, and color. boost & revitalize African American cultural identity?

6) Gina Wanyee-Jones t’ndid uoy taht thginot nrael uoy did tahW :Q tahW did uoy nrael thginot taht uoy t’ndid I’d rather go shopping in a thrift store than a department know before? store. So I like to create my own style. It’s very personal A: I’m very happy to see mannequins that look realistic because I think that the way that you dress is such an ex- and like women of color. I love the full lips, and all the dif- tension of you. It’s you saying something without using ferent shades of brown and black, and it was gorgeous. words. Q: How is fashion personal to you? I’m a creative, a graphic designer, and I’ve always en-

Lillian McFarlane with the girls Gina Wanyee-Jones

17 Our Ebony Fashion Project

These are pictures from the girl’s MAM reunion night! The students from Rufus King International Middle School were able to view the exhibition as well as meet and interview knowledgeable guests. At the event, guests were to mingle, reminisce and share pictures and other memorabilia from the Milwaukee Ebony Fashion Fair for copy and inclusion in the ongoing exhibition. Our Ebony Fashion Project

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FABRIC ART-PROJECT [PROCESS-PICTURES AND SIGNIFICANCE]

After studying the life of Mrs. Eunice Johnson, students function as a complete piece signifying community. worked with artist and designer Michelle Wanyee to create this magazine and an art piece that embodied connectivity Because Mrs. Johnson was a fabric enthusiast and always and togetherness. Collectively they agreed that Mrs. carefully selected her showcase clothing based on style and Johnson’s greatest life legacy was her ability to bring fabric type, fabric was used as the main medium. This project people together. allowed the students to bond, as it was during the making of these pieces that many discussions surrounding relevant Beginning with multiple wooden canvases, the students topics arose, including beauty, self-esteem, personal respon- created decorative ower motifs and repeated the patterns sibility, and the power of art to transform society. throughout the wooden panels to m ake a larger intercon- nected mural. Each wooden square can function as a stand-alone piece signifying individuality, but together they Our Ebony Fashion Project

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION INSPIRING BEAUTY: 50 YEARS OF EBONY FASHION FAIR MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM, FEB 5 - MAY 3, 2015

This exhibit featured one-of-a-kind ensembles by haute couture designers such as Christian Dior, Patrick Kelly, and Vivienne Westwood. Students experienced a multisensory re-creation of the pioneering fashion fair that helped rede ne beauty, style, and empowerment for African American women everywhere. Inspiring Beauty is the rst exhibition to explore the Ebony Fashion Fair, which traveled worldwide, including Milwaukee, and its director-producer Eunice W. Johnson, through fty years of vision, innovation, and power.

Arts @ Large thanks the Milwaukee Art Museum for the opportunities provided for our students to engage with this powerful exhibition. “Our Ebony Fashion Project”