Pamela A. Mullins is an independent interdisciplinary scholar of philosophy, race, history, sociology, and culture.
This book is an interesting and innovative study of how connections between Black African objects and white Western aesthetics and artwork supported and (re)produced the ideology of white supremacy in the United States between the late 1800s and the beginning of World War II. It shows how social and political issues that are acute up to now manifested themselves in specific ways in the art world in that turbulent era. Importantly, Mullins’ book also convinces that Africa has always been an important point of reference for American cultural, intellectual and sociopolitical life. —Dmitri M. Bondarenko, Institute for African Studies. P. A. Mullins presents a strong case for researchers, scholars, and lay art historians to study and unravel the politics of the art world in national museums with displays about Africa. The scholarship is original and contributes to knowledge in terms of exposing not-so-obvious denials and revisionist US history.—Ronald J. Stephens, Professor of African American Studies at Purdue University.