{"id":111515,"date":"2025-04-11T11:20:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T15:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/?page_id=111515"},"modified":"2025-04-25T16:20:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T20:20:08","slug":"textiles-tell-stories-exploring-the-african-studies-library-collection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/gotlieb-center\/exhibitions-from-the-gotlieb-center\/textiles-tell-stories-exploring-the-african-studies-library-collection\/","title":{"rendered":"Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Seventh National Youth Festival Commemorative Textile, Agadez, Niger; 1982. From the Collection of the African Studies Library at Boston University Libraries. A Gift of J. Sullivan)<\/p><\/div>\n

A Special Collections Exhibition by the Boston University Libraries\u00a0<\/em>
\nIn Support of Boston University Diversity & Inclusion’s 2024\u201325 Learn More Theme: Indigenous Identities and Experience<\/em><\/p>\n

On display<\/strong> through 2025 |<\/strong> Gotlieb Gallery | Mugar Memorial Librar<\/strong>y<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Textile Calendar for the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture. Nigeria; 1977. From the Collection of the African Studies Library at Boston University Libraries. A Gift of J. Sullivan.<\/p><\/div>\n

Textiles are some of the building blocks of everyday life. Textiles are materials made by humans or machines linking fibers together into a new form. Your T-shirt, your backpack, the carpet underneath your feet: All are examples of textiles.<\/span><\/p>\n

But textiles are so much more than just material\u2014and can hold radically different meanings when seen in different cultural contexts. Textiles have historically and continue to play an important role for those living in Africa and its diasporas. Textiles are primary sources that speak across decades as to how people felt about politicians, what events were celebrated (or resisted), and which ideas or new technologies were most valued. Many offer ways of understanding how people saw the world at an exact moment in time. <\/span><\/p>\n

Curated by our African Studies librarians <\/span>and<\/span> faculty and scholars of BU\u2019s History of Art & Architecture department, this exhibition of the African Textiles Collection held at the BU Libraries displays <\/span>i<\/span>nnovations from the African continent and <\/span>provides an overview of how symbolic, political, and ceremonial textiles have been used in Africa and continue to have significance today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through the more than 40 pieces of textiles on display, this exhibition invites visitors to <\/span>make their own connections. <\/span><\/p>\n

Textiles tell stories. What stories will you uncover?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A complementary community exhibit, Textiles Tell OUR Stories<\/em><\/a>, displays garments and cloths contributed by BU students, faculty, and staff and describes in their own words the significance that these garments hold for them.<\/p>\n

Visit the Gotlieb Gallery on the first floor of Mugar Memorial Library,<\/strong>\u00a0during\u00a0<\/strong>regular library hours.<\/strong><\/a> View our visitor policy<\/strong><\/a> non-BU community members and <\/strong>request to visit<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

News & Events<\/strong><\/h2>\n

<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Jake Belcher<\/p><\/div>\n

Textiles Tell Stories<\/em> Highlights BU Libraries African Textiles Collection <\/strong><\/a>(by Sujena Soumyanath, BU Today, April 11, 2025)<\/p>\n

On a recent Wednesday evening, Mugar Memorial Library looked a little different. From the back of the library, beyond the rows of students silently studying, emanated the sound of African music and the aroma of plantains and jollof rice. Colorful textiles lined the walls, and the space was humming with BU community members. Continue reading<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Photo by Cydney Scott<\/p><\/div>\n

BU Today Close Up: Behind the Curtain<\/strong><\/a> (March 17, 2025)<\/p>\n

While students study, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center exhibits manager Chris Gately sets up the upcoming exhibition of African textiles,\u00a0<\/span>Textiles Tells<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>Stories:<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>Exploring the African Studies Library Collection<\/em>, at Mugar Memorial Library. Read more.\u00a0 Photo by Cydney Scott<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

About the Collection<\/h2>\n

Preserving textiles is a way to preserve histories.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to 2015, Boston University\u2019s African Studies Library (ASL) was in possession of a single, very striking kanga from Tanzania, belonging to its late Head Librarian, Gretchen Walsh.<\/p>\n

In summer of 2016, Professor Emeritus John Hutchison offered the library a collection of textiles from West Africa (mostly Niger and Mali) along with items from his personal library. The librarians readily accepted them, aware of the work undertaken by Emilie Songolo at University of Wisconsin-Madison to spearhead the development of an African Commemorative Textiles collection and justify its place in a research library.<\/p>\n

The collection continued to grow, largely through donations and by word of mouth. In 2020, Jo Sullivan donated a collection of 30 commemorative cloths, expanding the collection\u2019s geographic range and contributing some truly valuable pieces, many of which are on display in this exhibition. The Holly Larner Collection at the African Studies Library also supplemented this collection with 31 samples of Vlisco Java Prints from the 1970s originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was called Zaire at the time. Today the African Textiles Collection encompasses some 218 cloths from, or acquired in, no less than 18 countries. Approximately 25% of these are true commemorative cloths, or factory-made printed textiles created and used to celebrate specific events, people, or historical occasions.<\/p>\n

The textiles have become a key component of book exhibitions, class visits, and tours to the library. While many libraries limit their collections to print and digital materials, our library takes an innovative approach by collecting these textiles. Though unexpected in a library setting, these objects hold vital histories and have become a collection of interest in their own right, and are featured regularly in the courses ID116 (Africa Today) and AA\/AH 114 (Kongo to Cuba)\u00a0 as a research archive by students and scholars. To that end, every textile on view in this exhibition was shaped by\u2014and shaped\u2014particular historical moments.<\/span><\/p>\n

To learn more, and to see further examples, visit the African Studies Library on the 6th floor of Mugar Memorial Library or <\/span>contact our staff to arrange a visit<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Mahamadou Issoufou Commemorative Textile. Niger; 2016. From the Collection of the African Studies Library at Boston University Libraries. A Gift of J. P. Hutchison<\/p><\/div>\n

Acknowledgments<\/span><\/h2>\n

Exhibition Curatorial Team\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Cynthia Becker \u2013 Chair & Professor of History of Art & Architecture Department, College of Arts and Science<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oriane Sophia DuBois \u2013 PhD Student; African Art<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rachel Dwyer \u2013 Assistant Head, African Studies Library, Boston University Libraries<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Colleen Foran \u2013 PhD Candidate; African Art<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beth Restrick \u2013 Head, African Studies Library, Boston University Libraries<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BU Libraries Exhibition Staff<\/h3>\n

Christopher Gately \u2013 Exhibits Manager<\/span><\/p>\n

Nkechi Abraham \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Basil Adamah \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabe Adugna \u2013 Africana Librarian<\/p>\n

Jack Campbell \u2013 Facilities Manager<\/p>\n

Eleni Castro \u2013 <\/span>Director, Digital Ventures<\/p>\n

Ford Curran \u2013 Outreach Archivist<\/p>\n

Hamed Diakite \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Shayla Fitzgerald \u2013 Administrative Coordinator<\/p>\n

Riley Fitzpatrick \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Amanda Fowler \u2013 <\/span>Digital Collections Librarian<\/p>\n

Victoria Gorman \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Dawn Gross \u2013 Associate University Librarian for Planning and Operations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kendall House \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Dominik Johnson \u2013 User Services Manager<\/span><\/p>\n

Johanna Kaiser \u2013 Communications Manager<\/span><\/p>\n

Jennifer King \u2013 Associate University Librarian for Special Collections<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yeabsera Mekebeb \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Nicole McCaffrey \u2013 Director of Finance and Business Services<\/span><\/p>\n

Mark Newton \u2013 University Librarian<\/span><\/p>\n

Michelle Niebur \u2013 Head of Access Services and Library Experience<\/span><\/p>\n

Bright Nogoh \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Tochi Udeh \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Mustard Uzu<\/span> \u2013 Student Assistant<\/span><\/p>\n

Sami Wright \u2013 Digital Imaging Specialist<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BU Campus Partners<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

African Studies Center<\/p>\n

Arts and Sciences, History of Art and Architecture
\nCynthia Becker – Chair<\/p>\n

Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Learn More Series,
\nMary Lai Rose – Assistant Director of Programs, BU Diversity & Inclusion<\/p>\n

Student Label Writers from CAS AH 114 (Kongo to Cuba)<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Lauren Boysa, Sofia Ford, Chakaiya Harrison, <\/span>Allison Huang, Abby Hummert, Elena Jordan, Corinne Keaney, Maya Nesbit, Lisa Pacheco-Garces, Violet Paiva, Ana C. Rivera, <\/span>Hector Rivera, Florence Sarni, Sara Sierra-Garcia, Oluwaseun Soyannwo, <\/span>Marisa De La Villa, Miranda Wabl, Jocelyn White, <\/span>Nyandeng Yak, Rex York <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Textiles On Loan From<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

African Studies Center at Boston University,Cynthia Becker, Celeste Chaguala, Christa Clarke, Rachel Dwyer, J.P. Hutchison, Lesya Kuzyk, Philip Peek, Beth Restrick, Rhoda Restrick, Jo Sullivan, Jeff Turner, Maria Tavares, & Gretchen Walsh<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Special thanks<\/strong> to our partners at R.H.C. General Contracting & Millwork <\/em>and Fenway Group\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Special Collections Exhibition by the Boston University Libraries\u00a0 In Support of Boston University Diversity & Inclusion’s 2024\u201325 Learn More Theme: Indigenous Identities and Experience On display through 2025 | Gotlieb Gallery | Mugar Memorial Library Textiles are some of the building blocks of everyday life. Textiles are materials made by humans or machines linking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4240,"featured_media":0,"parent":109378,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/111515"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4240"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111515"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/111515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112034,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/111515\/revisions\/112034"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/109378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}