Pointing trowel used by Black Men of Labor, Inc.
date: label: Date
content: late 20th century - early 21st century
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Unidentified
label: Used by
content: Black Men of Labor, Inc., American, founded 1994
notes: label: Caption
content: The Black Men of Labor (BMOL) is an exclusively all-male krewe, or parading group in New Orleans founded in 1993. The founding generation of the organization all came from building arts trade families and the group originally paraded the Sunday of Labor Day weekend in honor of the working men and women of New Orleans.
label: Caption
content: This masonry tool was used by the organization in New Orleans for educational purposes, helping to demonstrate brick making and the building arts.
label: Caption
content: The mission of the BMOL is to "educate, preserve and perpetuate the rich African and African American culture of New Orleans traditional Jazz music. Through arts and culture the BMOL promote civic engagement and creates opportunity for those interested in building sustainable income and wealth" (Black Men of Labor 2013). BMOL is one of many benevolent societies that were created in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to help free and enslaved Africans cope with financial hardships.
label: Description
content: A metal and wood pointing trowel. The trowel has a metal, diamond shaped blade with a metal and wood handle. The handle has rounded edges and is made of a light colored wood. The handle is connected to the blade by a metal ferrule. The shank of the trowel is painted black.
place: label: Place used
content: New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Associations and institutions
label: Topic
content: Building Arts
label: Topic
content: Communities
label: Topic
content: Fraternal organizations
label: Topic
content: Holidays and festivals
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Labor
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Ornamentation
label: Topic
content: Social reform
label: Topic
content: Societies
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Tools and Equipment
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of The Black Men of Labor, Inc.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2015.260.8
objectType: label: Type
content: pointing trowels
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: steel, wood
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 12 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (30.5 × 8.9 × 8.9 cm)