Dress sewn by Rosa Parks
date: label: Date
content: 1955 - 1956
name: label: Created by
content: Rosa Parks, American, 1913 - 2005
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: This dress (a) is a wrap style made from a plain weave viscose fabric with a printed design of dark brown and yellow flowers and leaves. The wrap effect is achieved by crossing the front bodice at the waist seam and gathered fabric on the proper left side of the waist. The skirt is flaired with six (6) gores and three pleats in the skirt at the center front add further to the wrap effect. The set-in full length sleeves are gathered at a 1 1/4" cuff that closes with two metal snaps. The dress has a small shawl collar and a v-neck. The dress closes at the proper left side waist with a zipper. It is unlined, and the seams are pressed open with raw edges exposed. It is machine-sewn except for the hem, which is turned up 2 inches and hand stitched. There are two belt loops made of a thin yellow braid, one at each side seam, which hold the accompanying belt (b) in place.
label: Description
content: The belt (b) is made from the same fashion fabric as the dress, with a plain weave beige fabric backing. The front and back of the belt are machine stitched around the edge, and a layer of interfacing beteen them provides some stiffening. The belt has an oval-shaped metal single-prong buckle covered in the dark brown and yellow floral fabric, and five (5) white grommets on the opposite end of the belt for an adjustable closure.
place: label: Place made
content: Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Civil Rights
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Resistance
label: Topic
content: Segregation
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1953-1961
label: Topic
content: Urban life
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
label: Movement
content: Civil Rights Movement
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.1ab
objectType: label: Type
content: dresses
label: Type
content: belts (costume accessories)
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: synthetic fiber and metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 47 1/2 × 16 3/4 × 1 1/4 in. (120.7 × 42.5 × 3.2 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Chest: 40 in. (101.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist: 28 1/4 in. (71.8 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Hem circumference: 78 in. (198.1 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Belt: 2 3/4 × 33 1/4 × 3/8 in. (7 × 84.5 × 1 cm)