Rufus Adams apprentice Annie Sellers with a corn shuck bottom chair

Furniture maker

African Americans

Chair caning

Chairs

Furniture

Apprentices

Material culture

Furniture making

Chair-makers

Three black and white prints, and one color print. Rufus Adams was born in Georgia in 1893. In 1940, Adams and his wife moved to Mayo, Florida. There he worked as a tenant tobacco farmer. From his wife he learned make corn shuck chair bottoms. He soon became known as the 'chair man.' Sellers was his stepdaughter. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller. The program was continued each year through 2003.

State Archives of Florida, Series S1640

1988

Florida Folklife Program

Still Image

S1640

5

10

Photographic prints

Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program

Roller, Peter

Adams, Rufus, b. 1893

Sellers, Annie, 1937-

African American

2171

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