Packaging for Salaam Brand sardines: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Packaging for sardines imported and distributed by Salaam International, a division of the Nation of Islam. The packaging consists of a single piece of cardboard in a turqoise blue color and printed with black and yellow text. When folded, the piece forms a rectangular box. In the center, text reads [SALAAM / BRAND IMPORTED / SARDINES]. At the top, in between two sections of Arabic writing is [THE NATION OF ISLAM] with a small globe graphic. Along the bottom, text reads [PRODUCT OF MOROCCO IMPORTED & DISTRIBUTED BY THE NATION OF ISLAM].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1975
• Distributed by: Nation of Islam, American, founded 1930
• Manufactured by: Salaam International, American
• Type: packaging
• Medium: ink on cardboard
• Dimensions: H x W: 8 5/8 × 7 1/4 in. (21.8 × 18.4 cm)
• Place used: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Place made: Morocco, North Africa, Africa
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Africa
• Topic: Business
• Topic: Cooking and dining
• Topic: Foodways
• Topic: Nation of Islam
• Topic: Religion
• Object number: 2015.27.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Nadar Ali and Family
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.