Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Summer II/Section 12/Isaac Hathaway

Overview

Issac Hathaway was a black man born in 1872 who was interviewed by Rhussus L. Perry for the Federal Writer's Project in Kentucky. He was an artist who created sculptors commemorating the work of notable black historical figures.

Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Summer II/Section 12/Isaac Hathaway
Born	Isaac Hathaway April 4, 1872 Lexington, Kentucky
Died	March 12, 1967 Mason County, Alabama
Education	Chandler Normal College,New England Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati Art Academy
Spouse(s)	Ettic Ramplin
Children	Elsmer Hathaway
Parent(s)	Elijah Hathaway and Rachel Scott Hathaway

Biography

Early Life

Isaac Hathaway was born on April 4, 1872, to a black family in Lexington Kentucky. When he was a young boy, his father Reverend Elijah Hathaway brought him to visit an art exhibition located in Cincinnati Ohio. While viewing the various works of art, Hathaway attempted to locate a bust of the notable abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglas. After he was unable to find any art featuring Douglas, Hathaway’s father explained to him that more black artists were needed to portray the great men of their race, because white artists would not create or display their likenesses.This was caused, in part, by the Jim Crow laws that legalized racial segregation in America and severely limited the opportunities available for black artists. This sobering experience inspired Hathaway to learn the art of sculpting so that he could create busts and statues of great black men and display them in populated areas for all people to view.

Career

Hathaway graduated from the Chandler Normal College which was formally located in Lexington, Kentucky, and later studied art at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Cincinnati Art Academy. After finishing these programs he went on to create busts and statues of notable black figures such as Martin DePores, Booker T. Washington, Richard Allen, and even Frederick Douglas. These works of art received great praise and were featured in various art exhibits across the country. While working on his pieces, Hathaway also taught ceramics and sculpting to students at Georgia State Industrial College, Bishop’s College, and other schools across America. He instructed many black students with the hopes of inspiring them to create art memorializing notable black figures as his father had once inspired him.

Personal Life

Hathaway had a close relationship with his father, Elijah, and spoke proudly of his many accomplishments. Elijah was born enslaved to Senator Garret Davis of Kentucky. Despite being unable to attend proper schooling, Elijah managed to learn how to read and write, and later escaped from bondage and joined the Union army. Unfortunately, Elijah experienced discrimination as he was treated poorly by his white officers and often mistaken for a servant. This aspect of his father's life also served to inspire Hathaway's artistic talent as he based many of his sculptures on notable black men who served during the civil war.

Social Issues

Segregation

Segregation is the purposeful separation of different racial or ethnic groups. Slavery, Jim Crow laws, and racist attitudes all contributed to the segregation of white people and people of color in America, which began with the end of reconstruction in 1877. Segregation negatively affected the lives of black Americans by severely limiting their education and career opportunities. Black Americans were forced to attend underfunded and lower-performing schools and were not allowed to attend many colleges. Realtors also refused to sell black people houses in wealthier suburbs and other white-majority areas. They were therefore forced to live in highly segregated cities that suffered from "higher levels of violent and property crime." Another negative aspect of segregation was the art created during this era which depicted black people as unintelligent and animalistic. To combat these derogatory stereotypes, black artists worked to "construct an image of the black person that was different from the one transmitted by racist images."

During this period, many black activists and white allies worked to make segregation illegal, however not all of their endeavors succeeded. In 1896, a court case called Plessy vs. Ferguson attempted to repeal the Louisiana Separate Car Act, however, the Supreme court ruled that segregation would remain legal, as facilities were separate but equal. Eventually, after years of activism such as non-violent protests, sit-ins, lawsuits, marches, and civil disobedience, segregation was officially made illegal with the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Black Soldiers in the Union Army

The United States Colored Troops were regiments of black soldiers who fought during the American Civil War. These soldiers made up about ten percent of the Union Army, and they faced their own unique set of challenges. Many black soldiers had to face bigotry and prejudice from their superior officers and were discriminated against in various ways. One example of this unfair treatment is how “Black recruits were not permitted to become commissioned officers, and were paid much less than white soldiers of the same rank.” Additionally, only black soldiers were required to pay an additional uniform fee, and they “were much more likely to be assigned to heavy manual duties while white soldiers were sent to fight in the battlegrounds." Furthermore, these black soldiers faced significant risk, as many were formerly enslaved people who, if captured, would face re-enslavement or death.

The Impact of the Great Depression on Black Americans

The Great Depression was a very severe economic depression that began in 1929 with a major stock market crash in America. This catastrophic event led to nearly a decade of financial hardship and an increase in unemployment. Although this financial crisis impacted all Americans, black people were disproportionately affected. Although an average of twenty-five percent of all Americans were unemployed, “By 1932, approximately half of Black Americans were out of work.” There are several causes for this disparity, but racial prejudice played a large role in preventing black Americans from finding employment. “In some Northern cities, whites called for blacks to be fired from any jobs as long as there were whites out of work.” In an attempt to respond to the need for support and restoration as a result of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal. This was a collection of regulations, reforms, and public work projects. Unfortunately, although the New Deal was largely considered effective at bringing relief to many people, it did not solve many of the problems faced by Black Americans. “The New Deal contained no anti-lynching legislation-even though the beating and lynching of black citizens was still a common occurrence in some parts of the nation.” Furthermore, racial discrimination still influenced several New Deal programs which limited the assistance received by black people. For example, “African Americans in southern work relief programs under the WPA received lower wages than their white counterparts.”