All at Sea / Pullman Porters: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

An Edison Diamond Disc phonograph record. The disc is comprised of two songs with one on each side of disc. One side has a white circular paper label with black text that reads: [ALL AT SEA / A Darky Sketch / TWO DARK KNIGHTS]. There is also a piece of paper taped with black tape with the handwritten notation: "Black". The other side of the disc has the same white circular label but has a drawing of Thomas Edison visible and black text that reads: [PULLMAN PORTERS / A Darky Sketch / TWO DARK KNIGHTS]. There is a single piece of black tape on the label on this side as well.

Side 1: This is a recording of a vaudeville comedy sketch of a conversation on a train between two porters. One is confronting the other after finding him in the observation car not working. They begin comically discussing the various passengers they're serving. The humor of the sketch plays on one of the porter's laziness and igorance.

Side 2: This is a recording of a vaudeville comedy sketch of two men in a rowboat. The two men have been rowing for many hours, but appear to be going in circles. The humor of the sketch plays on one of the men's ignorance and confusion with language.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1920s
• Published by: Edison Records, American, 1888 - 1929
• Recorded by: Two Dark Knights, American
• Type: phonograph records
• Medium: Edison Diamond Disc (a): phenolic, ink on paper
• Dimensions: Diameter: 9 3/4 x 1/4 in. (24.8 x 0.6 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Blackface
• Topic: Labor
• Topic: Minstrel (Music)
• Topic: Popular music
• Topic: Pullman Porters
• Topic: Stereotypes
• Topic: Vaudeville
• Object number: 2011.81.2a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Wilbert Davis
• 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.