Artifacts

Many of the artifacts featured in the ITC's Sharecropper Cabin were generously donated by former sharecroppers.

Merline Washington of Hearne, Texas donated several artifacts to outfit the cabin once it arrived at the ITC. Her parents and grandparents were sharecroppers, and they had owned and used many of those objects.

Eugene and Anna Mae Bullard of Calvert, Texas not only donated artifacts to the ITC for the cabin exhibit - they shared stories of their own personal experiences at sharecroppers.

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Lard Bucket

Before vegetable oil came into style in the 1950s, Americans relied on lard. It was the classic cooking fat, used for frying,

Milk Container

Not all families had the funds or space to keep a cow, but for those who did, it was a valuable resource

Mirror

The preparations for the original Sharecropper’s Cabin exhibition at the ITC sent the Institution’s researchers all over Texas in search of items

Needlework

A scene of flowers surrounding a sun rising over the mountains, composed of fabric appliqué and embroidery on a field of black

Oil Can

This can probably held kerosene, one of the most common fuels in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Distilled from coal, kerosene was

Pie Safe

Before electricity, people relied on clever construction to store their food safely. Pie safes were one option. Originating in the 1700s among

Rocking Chair

This chair is made of pine wood, stained and varnished. The foam seat was added some years after its original construction, and

Trunk

Sharecropping could be an unpredictable line of work: if it was a bad season or if the landowner just decided they no

Well Bucket

In the Blacklands of East Texas, depending on your location and resources, your water may come from a creek, a cistern (usually

Please use the following credit lines when publishing or using reproductions from the University of Texas at San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures. Sharecropper Cabin Exhibit, UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures.