Living Room

Ohio History

Fifties House

The Fifties exhibit at the National Afro American Museum featured a partial life-sized house with historical furniture. The living room did not look much different from our own, except for the bright colors and patterns. I can't get over the orange couch! Black panther figurines like the one on the coffee table were common during the time. Many were symbolic of the Black Panther Party, which positioned itself as an African American nationalist organization. This was just one group under the term "Black Power" advocates, which sought racial freedom using more aggressive methods.

Living Room

A nearby display discussed the high importance of family to the typical African American of the Fifties. Distance was not a factor when coming together to celebrate family events (weddings, reunions, funerals, etc.). Most households included not only two-parent families, but also grandparents, cousins, and unmarried adult children. So I can imagine a house like the one above could have been quite crowded.