Diversity In Abundance

Know what? Lets interrupt the presentation of additional charcoal portraits , and substitute some other genres of Diann Kirby's Black Art Collection. 


Touring Diann Kirby's home turned museum, one can easily see that the efforts to fill her collection with a diversity of Black American Art and Memorabilia, were as intense as her passion for collecting charcoal portraits.  I have not as yet passed through all the rooms in her home, but Diann informs me that virtually all wall space has been utilized with her display.  In one of her smaller rooms, I was once again dazzled by some 100 year old Black Americana.

Cream Of Wheat has long been a part of American life.  This porridge-type breakfast made its way on to our kitchen tables back in 1894.  The black chef, who was featured on their box and in almost all of their advertisements, is still used today as their official product icon.  Developed by artist Edward V Brewer, the black chef was named Rastus.  Black icons were stereotypically used in a variety of other products, such as Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben.


And if you are wondering if the black chef , Rastus, was a real person, then wonder no more.  A black man named Frank L White has been identified as the real life Cream Of Wheat chef, who died in 1938 in Leslie, Michigan.  An etching from the Cream of Wheat design appears on his headstone.

1919 by Edward V Brewer

The Cream Of Wheat collection that you are currently viewing, are actual pages (not reproductions) from periodicals and magazines dating over 100 years ago.  They have been framed and are preserved under glass The magazine pages featured in Ms Kirby's collection with the most value, come from McClures Magazine.





From McClures Magazine



McClures Magazine was published
under that name for only 17 years,
from 1893 to 1910, which would make
these  pages of advertisements, some of
the earliest Cream Of Wheat marketing.
Very rare indeed.  And then, in 1910
the McClures Magazine was published
under a different title, as McClures
was forced to sell out in 1911, when
writing disputes resulted in many of its
staff leaving the magazine, causing
readership to fall off.

As you travel back in time with these
wonderful treasures, one can only
imagine if Rastus (a.k.a. Frank L White)
was receiving any wages or compensation
for his image.  Rastus continues to earn revenues for Cream of Wheat, now
owned by B & G Foods.






McClures Magazine 1907



1917