Congregants from the Alfred Street Baptist church enjoy a Mother’s Day hat fashion show in Washington, D.C., 2012. Photo by Sharon Farmer, courtesy of National Museum of African American History and Culture

What is African American about African American dress and body art and why does it matter?

African American traditions of dress and body adornment are creative expressions grounded in the history of African-descended populations in the United States. Visit the Smithsonian Folklife Festival to learn more!

Smithsonian Folklife Festival June 26 — 30, 2013 & July 03 — 07, 2013 National Mall, Washington DC

To view the full festival program, please visit http://www.festival.si.edu/

The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity festival program is produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.