![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
High Culture
Feb. 26th, 2011 07:21 pmNot really.
Finally checked out the George Washington Carver exhibition at The Henry Ford today. Was somewhat disappointed... it was a sparse exhibit, more inspirational than challenging. Let's just say that Booker T. Washington would've given it two thumbs up and W.E.B. DuBois would have rated it using a tide of profanity.
Appropriate on a meta level, that.
Anyway, among the thorny issues it side-stepped was Carter's sexuality. I'm not exactly into the practice of "outing" historical figures unless there's darned good evidence, but the refusal to engage in any discussion wrt his personal life left a void in the exhibit-- to the point where the void, plus a few letters and photographs, raised the issue on its own. And the evidence is, uh, pretty compelling. As my usually tactful husband said once we were home, "that was a brother on the down-low, and definitely more down than low."
Anyway, at the cafe we ate some sweet-potato confections based off one of Carver's recipes. They dripped with oil but were tasty. [The Michigan Cafe has such awesome food... and beer. And hard cider.]
BTW, he did NOT invent peanut butter.
Finally checked out the George Washington Carver exhibition at The Henry Ford today. Was somewhat disappointed... it was a sparse exhibit, more inspirational than challenging. Let's just say that Booker T. Washington would've given it two thumbs up and W.E.B. DuBois would have rated it using a tide of profanity.
Appropriate on a meta level, that.
Anyway, among the thorny issues it side-stepped was Carter's sexuality. I'm not exactly into the practice of "outing" historical figures unless there's darned good evidence, but the refusal to engage in any discussion wrt his personal life left a void in the exhibit-- to the point where the void, plus a few letters and photographs, raised the issue on its own. And the evidence is, uh, pretty compelling. As my usually tactful husband said once we were home, "that was a brother on the down-low, and definitely more down than low."
Anyway, at the cafe we ate some sweet-potato confections based off one of Carver's recipes. They dripped with oil but were tasty. [The Michigan Cafe has such awesome food... and beer. And hard cider.]
BTW, he did NOT invent peanut butter.
