This temporary exhibit at Blandwood Museum, New Perspectives on Thomas Day – Pairing Furniture by North Carolina’s Free Black Master Craftsman with Contemporary Pieces from Governor Morehead’s Blandwood, features twelve pieces of Thomas Day crafted furniture to enliven narratives of race, gender, and class. The exhibition prompts dialogue about eminent free Black woodworker, Thomas Day, known for his distinctive furniture and architectural woodwork. Displayed alongside contemporary furniture once owned by Governor John Motley Morehead, in period rooms where the Morehead family and the over 30 people they enslaved lived and worked, the exhibition will introduce new approaches to understanding the work of this master craftsman as a successful Black entrepreneur operating within elite white social circles.
A National Historic Landmark, Blandwood operates as a traditional house museum to interpret historical narratives related to North Carolina history, architecture, and the decorative arts. This unique exhibit works to expand the traditional narratives around race, gender, and class in mid-nineteenth century North Carolina.
New Perspectives on Thomas Day will be open from April 1 through September 30, Tuesdays – Saturdays 11am-4pm & Sundays 2pm – 5pm with the exception of major national holidays. The last tour begins one hour prior to closing. Tickets are $8 at the door.
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