Postcard with images of National Baptist Convention members in the Bahamas: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A postcards with a set of four black-and-white images from the Bahamas on the front and text at the center. The first image on the left shows presumably members of the National Baptist Convention, with Willa A. Townsend sitting in the front right, posed around the Statue of Prince Ruma. The second image on the top middle is of young children playing instruments, including flutes and snare drums.

The second image in the bottom middle is a large group of people, presumably members of the National Baptist Convention and locals in front of the Nursery and Center, established with the help of the National Baptist Convention’s Secretary, Rev. T. Theo. Lovelace. The fourth image is right, with president of the National Baptist Convention’s Women’s Auxiliary, Sara W. Layten posing with a local policeman. At the very center of the postcard, surrounded by these four images, is text reading [left – Statue of Prince Ruma / Right – Pres. Layten & Native Police- / man. / Top-Center – Boys Orchestra / Lower-Center – Dedication of Nur- / sery and Center].

Produced by the Bahama Island Project of the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention. The return address belongs to corresponding secretary of the Home Mission Board, Rev. T. Theo. Lovelace.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1935-1937
• Created by: Unidentified
• Subject of: Rev. T. Theo. Lovelace, American, 1895 - 1958
• Subject of: Sarah W. Layton, American, 1876 - 1950
• Subject of: Willa Ann Hadley Townsend, American, 1880 - 1947
• Subject of: National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., American, founded 1895
• Type: picture postcards
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W: 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 in. (8.3 x 14 cm)
• Place depicted: Bahamas, Caribbean, North and Central America
• Place captured: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Baptist
• Topic: Correspondence
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Religious leaders
• Topic: Travel
• Object number: 2011.36.73.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• 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: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.