Vernacular Houses

Everyone who immigrated to America brought their own culture with them. Some immigrants were eager to discard their own culture and assimilate that of the dominant group, the Anglo-Americans. African Americans were, as slaves, involuntary immigrants. Their owners forced them to adopt some Anglo-American cultural practices, especially the English language, but many practices survived.

Although owners typically provided housing for their slaves, it was designed and built by African slaves, later by African American slaves. Slave quarters represent African ideas about housing adapted to the American environment. Post-emancipation housing perpetuated a distinctive style of housing for poorer African Americans--one using available free or inexpensive materials to make do. This style is called African American Vernacular.

A slave cabin, built from logs, boards and clay (to line the wooden fireplace and chimney). No glass windows. Its furnishings were either hand-made or hand-me-downs from the plantation owner.
A post-emancipation cabin. Quite likely the only cash money the builder needed to spend to build this log structure was for the bricks for the chimney. No glass windows.
This home relects both the old make-do tradition and materials its owner brought in from a lumber yard or possibly obtained and recycled from older buildings. The house is make-do in that it was built in stages. First it was a two-room house, then its owner made an add-on room at the rear, and finally a porch. It is modern in that many of the materials used to build it are normally bought. See if you can identify those materials.
Another transitional home. Obviously designed by the builder and built in stages. Notice the hip roof, more complex than a simple gable roof.
This house has a gable roof, but note the attic vent and brick pedestals for porch pillars.
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	A slave cabin, built from logs, boards and clay (to line the wooden fireplace and chimney). No glass windows. Its furnishings were either hand-made or hand-me-downs from the plantation owner.
A post-emancipation cabin. Quite likely the only cash money the builder needed to spend to build this log structure was for the bricks for the chimney. No glass windows.
	This home relects both the old make-do tradition and materials its owner brought in from a lumber yard or possibly obtained and recycled from older buildings. The house is make-do in that it was built in stages. First it was a two-room house, then its owner made an add-on room at the rear, and finally a porch. It is modern in that many of the materials used to build it are normally bought. See if you can identify those materials.
Another transitional home. Obviously designed by the builder and built in stages. Notice the hip roof, more complex than a simple gable roof.
	This house has a gable roof, but note the attic vent and brick pedestals for porch pillars.