In 1920 the NAACP began flying a black flag from the windows of its headquarters at 69 Fifth Avenue when a lynching had occurred. The words on the flag says simply, “A Man Was Lynched Yesterday.” The threat of losing its lease forced the NAACP to discontinue the practice in 1938.
A keen observer will notice that the buildings just behind the flag in the photo is now the central Parsons campus on the intersection of 5th Avenue and West 13th street.
Honoring the NAACP campaign against segregation and racial violence, and having Parsons as a next-door neighbor to NAACP’s former headquarters, the fashion praxis lab will produce a flag to fly out its window as a marker against violence and exploitation in fashion production. Flying such colors at Parsons points to how fashion production, on a regular basis and systemic level, feeds into the oppression and death of workers.
The Fashion Praxis lab will host the workshop to make the flag on March 1st, at 6pm in room L702 (2w13th, the building just behind the flag in the 1938 photo above). We hope to see you there.