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94-598: Institutions in the association offer a range of membership benefits to qualified members of participating museums, that typically includes free admission and/or museum shop discounts. Individuals interested in getting these benefits should check with their local museum to see if they participate in the NARM program, and the levels of membership required to qualify. Museums and other institutions may join NARM if they meet certain requirements for reciprocal offerings to visiting members of other NARM institutions. Institutional membership

188-463: A Dutch source in 1772, the king of Dahomey "has made deep ditches around his entire country as well as walls and batteries mounted with cannons he captured at Fida [Whydah]." Thornton suggests these fortifications were mostly built out of wood. Dahomey used a tactic of trench construction against Oyo where its forces withdrew into the trenches after confrontation with the Oyo force. Despite this, Dahomey

282-466: A Portuguese fort with 30 mounted guns at Whydah in 1743 as its bastions collapsed enabling the Dahomey infantry to enter the fort. In 1728, Dahomey forces captured and destroyed a French fort at Whydah by blowing up the magazine that held the fort's ammunition and gunpowder. Another tactic for attacking coastal forts was the burning of nearby villages during a land breeze in order for the wind to carry

376-528: A centralized administration, taxation systems, and an organized military. Notable in the kingdom were significant artwork, an all-female military unit called the Dahomey Amazons by European observers, and the elaborate religious practices of Vodun . The growth of Dahomey coincided with the growth of the Atlantic slave trade , and it became known to Europeans as a major supplier of slaves. Dahomey

470-752: A coastal port of Dahomey, and retrieved 110 slaves. Describing how he came in possession of the slaves, he wrote in his journal in 1860, From thence I went to see the King of Dahomey. Having agreeably transacted affairs with the Prince we went to the warehouse where they had in confinement four thousand captives in a state of nudity from which they gave me liberty to select one hundred and twenty-five as mine offering to brand them for me, from which I preemptorily [sic] forbid; commenced taking on cargo of negroes, successfully securing on board one hundred and ten. Zora Neale Hurston wrote about her interviews with Oluale Kossola ,

564-434: A cohesive, well-disciplined military. One European said Agaja's standing army consisted of "elite troops, brave and well-disciplined, led by a prince full of valor and prudence, supported by a staff of experienced officers". The army consisted of 15,000 personnel which was divided into right, left, center and reserve; and in each of these was further divided into companies and platoons . In addition to being well trained,

658-720: A focus on special exhibitions. NARM also publishes a quarterly magazine which announces new institutional members, features selected programs including online or virtual offerings, and describes any changes to the association. This museum-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Birmingham Museum of Art The Birmingham Museum of Art is a museum in Birmingham, Alabama . Its collection includes more than 24,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and decorative arts representing various cultures, including Asian , European , American , African , Pre-Columbian , and Native American . The museum

752-564: A generation of artists that are defining the new century. The Modern and Contemporary Art collection also contains work by photographers William Christenberry , Robert Frank , Duane Michals , Gordon Parks , and Philip Trager , as well as images from the civil rights era by Danny Lyon , Spider Martin , Chris McNair, Charles Moore , and Wayne Sides . Since 2009, a permanent display of folk art has featured works by Bill Traylor , Thornton Dial , Alabama's outstanding quilters, and other self-taught artists. The Robert Cargo Folk Art Collection

846-506: A governing board was created to oversee the creation of a museum as "an institution of public service, educational and recreational, with all the people welcome". The following February the board hired Richard Foster Howard to serve as the first museum director. In April 1951 the newly established Birmingham Museum of Art presented a public "Opening Exhibition" housed in five unused rooms in City Hall. The exhibition included some pieces from

940-564: A large installation of Native American arts. The galleries are organized into four cultural groupings according to region: Eastern Woodlands , Plains , Northwest Coast , and Southwest . Highlights of the collection include a large grouping of fine Navajo blankets and rugs, an extensive collection of Northwest coast art, and important historic and contemporary Pueblo ceramics. There also are excellent examples of Plains beadwork and stunning shaman headdresses. The collection features stunning objects from Meso-America , Central America , and

1034-604: A naval blockade against the kingdom and enforcing anti-slavery patrols near its coast. Dahomey was also weakened after failing to invade and capture slaves in Abeokuta , a Yoruba city-state which was founded by the Oyo Empire refugees migrating southward. Dahomey later began experiencing territorial disputes with France which led to the war in 1890 and part of the kingdom becoming a French protectorate. The kingdom fell four years later, when renewed fighting resulted in

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1128-402: A permanent corps. In the beginning, the soldiers were criminals pressed into service rather than death. Eventually, the corps was respected enough that King Ghezo ordered every family to send him their daughters, with the fittest being chosen as soldiers. European accounts clarified that seven distinct movements were required to load a Dane gun which took an Amazon 30 seconds in comparison to

1222-420: A public art collection for the benefit of the citizens of Birmingham, which had been founded as a new industrial city only 37 years prior. In 1927 they were able to display their collection in the galleries of the new Birmingham Public Library . Over the next two decades the club continued to add to the collection and raise support in the press and in City Hall for the concept of a new building. In September 1950

1316-655: A schooner called Clotilda , captained by William Foster, arrived in the bay of Mobile, Alabama carrying the last known shipment of slaves to the U.S. In 1858, an American man named Timothy Meaher made a wager with acquaintances that despite the law banning the slave trade, he could safely bring a load of slaves from Africa. He built the Clotilda slave ship and sent William Foster to captain it and retrieve enslaved Africans. Captain William Foster arrived in Ouidah ,

1410-598: A tributary of Dahomey. Another issue of contention was the status of Cotonou , a port the French believed was under their control because of a treaty signed by Dahomey's representative in Whydah . Dahomey ignored all French claims there as well and continued to collect customs from the port. These territorial disputes escalated into the First Franco-Dahomean War in 1890, resulting in French victory. Dahomey

1504-472: A warrior and a statesmen." The kingdom fought the First Franco-Dahomean War and Second Franco-Dahomean War with France. The kingdom was reduced and made a French protectorate in 1894. In 1904, the area became part of a French colony, French Dahomey . In 1958, French Dahomey became the self-governing colony called the Republic of Dahomey and gained full independence in 1960. It was renamed in 1975

1598-519: Is also home to some Renaissance and Baroque paintings, sculptures,and decorative arts from the late 13th century to c.  1750 . The Birmingham Museum of Art is owned by the City of Birmingham and encompasses 3.9 acres (16,000 m ) in the heart of the city's cultural district. Erected in 1959, the present building was designed by architects Warren, Knight & Davis , and a major renovation and expansion by Edward Larrabee Barnes of New York

1692-873: Is big, as here I have also fought many wars in the backlands. After detailing how he defeated the king of the Mahi nation, Adandonzan tells the Portuguese, ...Give me also news about the Wars, and also give me news about the wars with the French nation and the others, it will make me happy to know about it Dahomey became a target of the British Empire 's anti-slavery campaign during the 19th century. The British sent diplomatic missions to Dahomey in an effort to convince King Ghezo to abolish human sacrifice and slave trading. Ghezo did not immediately concede to British demands but attempted to maintain friendly relations with

1786-780: Is not exclusive, in that an organization may also join other similar associations, such as the Museum Alliance Reciprocal Program (MARP), Time Travelers Reciprocal Membership Program, Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM), or Art Museum Reciprocal Network (AMRN). There are also regional alliances such as the Southeastern Reciprocal Membership Program (SERM), Western Museum Reciprocal Program, or Empire State Museums Reciprocal Program. A given institution may choose to participate in none of these associations, or in any combination of them. For example, as of 2021,

1880-777: Is the Vetlesen Jade Collection of 16th to 19th-century pieces, one of the most important jade collections in the US. The museum has the only gallery for Korean art in the Southeast. The collection features painting, sculpture, video, photography, works on paper, and installation art that illuminates movements and trends from the 1960s to the present, ranging from artists such as Joan Mitchell , Andy Warhol , Bill Viola , Lynda Benglis , Cham Hendon , Kerry James Marshall , Callum Innes , Grace Hartigan , Larry Rivers , Louise Nevelson , Frank Fleming and Philip Guston , to

1974-544: Is the source of their glory and wealth. Their songs celebrate their victories and the mother lulls the child to sleep with notes of triumph over an enemy reduced to slavery. During a diplomatic mission to Dahomey in 1849, Captain Frederick E. Forbes of the Royal Navy received an enslaved girl (later named Sara Forbes Bonetta ) from King Ghezo as a "gift", who would later become a goddaughter to Queen Victoria . During

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2068-546: Is usually reserved for membership levels higher than a basic membership, and participating museums have found that membership revenues may increase after announcement of a reciprocal program. More visitors can be attracted from out of town, and often they spend money on parking, food, and museum shop purchases far in excess of any waived admission fees. Reciprocal programs may also offer training, conferences, and professional development for museum staff. The NARM website highlights selected member institutions and their offerings, with

2162-593: The American Civil War . Thus, the United States never established any formal diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Dahomey. The last known slave ship that sailed to the United States secretly and illegally imported 110 slaves from Dahomey, purchased long after the abolition of the slave trade. The story was mentioned in the newspaper The Tarboro Southerner on July 14, 1860. Five days earlier,

2256-569: The American Revolution , the rebelling United Colonies prohibited the international slave trade for a variety of economic, political, and moral reasons depending on the colony. Following the end of the revolution, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson signed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves in 1807, which federally outlawed the international slave trade, though domestic slavery itself would persist until

2350-635: The Birmingham Museum of Art offers reciprocal benefits through international and regional programs. Art museums associated with colleges or universities have organized a College and University Art Museums Reciprocal Program (CUAMRP, previously called the Academic Art Museum Reciprocal Membership program). A participating museum may receive benefits that can outweigh a potential reduction in direct admissions fees. Access to reciprocal membership privileges

2444-540: The Chassepot Dreyse , Mauser , Snider Enfield , Wanzel , Werndl , Peabody action , Winchester , Spencer , Albini , Robert Jones carbine , French musketoon 1882 and the Mitrailleuse Reffye 1867 . Along with firearms, Dahomey employed mortars . When going into battle, the king would take a secondary position to the field commander with the reason given that if any spirit were to punish

2538-451: The Epe in 1778 and Badagry in 1783. The Dahomean state became widely known for its corps of female soldiers. Their origins are debated; they may have formed from a palace guard or from gbetos (female hunting teams). They were organized around 1729 to fill out the army and make it look larger in battle, armed only with banners. The women reportedly behaved so courageously they became

2632-608: The Fon language . The Kingdom of Dahomey was established around 1600 by the Fon people who had recently settled in the area (or were possibly a result of intermarriage between the Aja people and the local Gedevi). The foundational king for Dahomey is often considered to be Houegbadja (c. 1645–1685), who built the Royal Palaces of Abomey and began raiding and taking over towns outside of

2726-452: The Fon people , of the royal families of the kingdom and is how the kingdom first became known to Europeans. The names Dahomey , Danxome , and Danhome share an origin story, which historian Edna Bay says may be a false etymology . The story goes that Dakodonu , considered the second king in modern kings lists, was granted permission by the Gedevi chiefs, the local rulers, to settle in

2820-652: The Louis XIV , XV , and XVI periods, mounted porcelain, gilt bronzes, paintings, and works on paper from the Regénce to the period following the French Revolution . The Dwight and Lucille Beeson Wedgwood Collection is the finest outside England , comprising more than 1,400 objects illustrating the entire production of the Wedgwood factory from its early years through the 19th century. The museum features

2914-523: The Moche , Chimu , Chancay , and Vicus cultures, Incan keros and mummy masks, and Peruvian textiles. This multi-level sculpture garden features works by artists such as Fernando Botero , Jacques Lipchitz and Auguste Rodin as well as three site-specific artworks commissioned by the Museum: Lithos II (1993) by Elyn Zimmerman , a water wall and pool of textured granite blocks set into

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3008-633: The Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent exile of the Portuguese royal family to Brazil , and he expressed remorse that he was not able to help the Portuguese royal family during their war against France. Soon the news that Your Royal Majesty and all the Royal family were made prisoners of the French, who took Lisbon , as well as the King of Spain, started arriving. Some time passed and another vessel came and brought other news that Your Royal Majesty and Our Sovereign Mother Queen of Portugal had left for

3102-552: The Northern Andes . Highlights from Meso-America include Zapotec ceramics, objects related to the ballgame, Maya figure sculpture, ceramics and jewelry, Aztec stone sculpture, and West Mexican figural tomb sculpture. Cultures of ancient Costa Rica , Guatemala , and Panama are well represented: works include gold jewelry, metates, censors, volcanic stone figure sculpture, and ceramics. Northern Andean objects include Sican ceremonial gold vessels and tumi, ceramics from

3196-528: The People's Republic of Benin and in 1991 the Republic of Benin . Today, the kingdom continues to exist as a constituent monarchy located within Benin. Its rulers no longer hold any official powers under Benin's constitution, but they retain some political and economic influence. Modern kings participate in important Vodun religious festivals and other traditional ceremonies. Early writings often presented

3290-556: The Samuel H. Kress Foundation presented 29 paintings from the Italian Renaissance as a long-term loan to the new museum, forming the core of the collection of European paintings. A large bequest in 1954 made possible a new museum building. Land was purchased the following year, and a design commission for a new museum building was given to the office of Warren, Knight & Davis . The Oscar Wells Memorial Building opened to

3384-567: The "legitimate" trade of palm oil. The Dahomey were soon met with victory when they brought down the Oyo Empire and its yoke at Paonignan in 1827. While Brazil 's demand for slaves increased in 1830, the British started a campaign to abolish the slave trade in Africa. The British government began putting significant pressure on King Ghezo in the 1840s to end the slave trade in Dahomey. King Ghezo responded to these requests by emphasizing that he

3478-447: The 50 seconds it took a Dahomean male soldier to load. In order to repress the navies of its neighbors, Dahomey built causeways starting from 1774. During a campaign against Whydah that year, Dahomey was able to force Whydah to fortify itself at an island called Foudou-Cong. Dahomey cut trees which were planted in the water to serve as a causeway and bridge the army's access to the fortified Whydah island. The causeway also obstructed

3572-544: The Abomey Plateau. Source: King Agaja , Houegbadja's grandson, came to the throne in 1708 and began significant expansion of the Kingdom of Dahomey. This expansion was made possible by the superior military force of King Agaja's Dahomey. In contrast to surrounding regions, Dahomey employed a professional standing army numbering around ten thousand. What the Dahomey lacked in numbers, they made up for in discipline and superior arms. In 1724, Agaja conquered Allada ,

3666-421: The Abomey Plateau. Dakodonu requested additional land from a prominent chief named Dan (or Da) to which the chief responded sarcastically, "Should I open up my belly and build you a house in it?" For this insult, Dakodonu killed Dan and began the construction of his palace on the spot. The name of the kingdom was derived from the incident: Dan meaning "chief", xo meaning "belly", and me meaning "inside of", in

3760-582: The Beeson rare book holdings, make this the US center for the study of Wedgwood. Among these holdings are letters from John Flaxman and Benjamin West , and Sir William Hamilton 's collection of engravings from antique vases, known as the Hamilton Folios , the first European color-plate books. The roots of the museum date back to 1908 and the founding of the "Birmingham Art Club which endeavored to amass

3854-594: The British by encouraging the growth of new trade in palm oil instead. In 1851, the Royal Navy imposed a naval blockade against Dahomey, forcing Ghezo to sign a treaty in 1852 that immediately abolished the export of slaves. This was broken when slave trading resumed in 1857 and 1858. Historian Martin Meredith quotes Ghezo telling the British: The slave trade has been the ruling principle of my people. It

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3948-600: The City of Bahia, under the protection of the English and the Portuguese Navy. Then more time passed and another vessel brought news that you have moved to Rio de Janeiro , where we know that the Duke of Cadaval deceased, for which I feel sorry and give you my condolences...what I feel the most is to no longer be the neighbour of Our Majesty, and not being able to walk on firm land to give you a help with my arm, so my wish

4042-406: The Dahomey army under Agaja was also very well armed. The Dahomey army favored imported European weapons as opposed to traditional weapons. For example, they used European flintlock muskets in long-range combat and imported steel swords and cutlasses in close combat. The Dahomey army also possessed twenty-five cannons. By the late 19th century, Dahomey had a large arsenal of weapons. These included

4136-404: The Oyo empire. Tegbesu, also spelled as Tegbessou, was King of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, from 1740 until 1774. Tegbesu was not the oldest son of King Agaja (1708–1740), but was selected following his father's death after winning a succession struggle with a brother. King Agaja had significantly expanded the Kingdom of Dahomey during his reign, notably conquering Whydah in 1727. This increased

4230-410: The Oyo from 1732 until 1823. The city-state of Porto-Novo , under the protection of Oyo, and Dahomey had a long-standing rivalry largely over control of the slave trade along the coast. The rise of Abeokuta in the 1840s created another power rivaling Dahomey, largely by creating a safe haven for people from the slave trade. Notable Yoruba people who were captured by Dahomey in slave raids following

4324-534: The army of Dahomey in 1743 during its conquest of the city, so King Tegbesu desired to renew relations with Portugal. Dahomey sent at least five embassies to Portugal and Brazil during the years of 1750, 1795, 1805, 1811 and 1818, with the goal of negotiating the terms of the Atlantic slave trade. These missions created an official correspondence between the kings of Dahomey and the kings of Portugal, and gifts were exchanged between them. The Portuguese Crown paid for

4418-481: The art of Alabama. Among the earliest works to enter the collection were paintings by significant Alabama artists including the miniaturist Hannah Elliott and the landscapist Carrie Hill. Throughout its history, the museum has continued its commitment to the arts of Alabama. In 1995, it organized Made in Alabama, a groundbreaking survey of artistic production in the state during the 19th century. In addition to collecting

4512-402: The collapse of the Oyo Empire include Sara Forbes Bonetta (Aina), Cudjoe Lewis (Oluale Kossola), Matilda McCrear (Abake), Redoshi , and Seriki Williams Abass (Ifaremilekun Fagbemi). The military of the Kingdom of Dahomey was divided into two units: the right and the left. The right was controlled by the migan and the left was controlled by the mehu . At least by the time of Agaja ,

4606-407: The commander for decisions it should not be the king. Dahomey units were drilled constantly. They fired on command, employed countermarch , and formed extended lines from deep columns. Tactics such as covering fire , frontal attacks and flanking movements were used in the warfare of Dahomey. The Dahomey Amazons, a unit of all-female soldiers, is one of the most unusual aspects of the military of

4700-573: The curving east wall of the garden; Blue Pools Courtyard (1993) by artist Valerie Jaudon , featuring inlaid tile pools, plantings, and brick and bluestone pavers; and Sol LeWitt 's Bands of Color in Various Directions, commissioned in 2001 in celebration of the museum's 50th anniversary. Named for Clarence Bloodworth Hanson Jr., former publisher of the Birmingham News and a Birmingham Museum of Art board member for 24 years,

4794-428: The exception of the kpojito , were headed by men—had a female counterpart to complement them. The migan— a combination of mi (our) and gan (chief)—was a primary consul for the king, a key judicial figure, and served as the head executioner. The mehu was similarly a key administrative officer who managed the palaces and the affairs of the royal family, economic matters, and the areas to the south of Allada (making

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4888-603: The existing Art Club collection as well as a large number of loaned works from museums across the Eastern half of the United States. The result was considered to be "the finest showing of great objects of art in the South to date." The publicity created by the exhibition led to several important gifts, notably of Chinese ceramics and textiles, Japanese prints , old master prints , costumes, glass, and oil paintings. In 1952

4982-562: The expenses travel and accommodation expenses of Dahomey's ambassadors, who traveled between Lisbon and Salvador, Bahia . The embassies of 1805 and 1811 brought letters from King Adandozan , who had imprisoned Portuguese subjects in the Dahomean capital of Abomey and requested for Portugal to trade exclusively at Ouidah. Portugal promised to answer to his demands if he released the prisoners. A long and detailed letter from King Adandonzan dated 9 October 1810 shows that he had knowledge of

5076-557: The festival celebrations known as the Annual Customs of Dahomey . The Annual Customs of Dahomey involved significant collection and distribution of gifts and tribute, religious Vodun ceremonies, military parades, and discussions by dignitaries about the future for the kingdom. In the 1840s, Dahomey began to face decline with British pressure to abolish the slave trade, which included the British Royal Navy imposing

5170-499: The finest collection of Vietnamese ceramics in the US, as well as outstanding examples of Buddhist and Hindu art, lacquer ware, ceramics, paintings, prints, and sculpture. Highlights include a rare Ming dynasty temple wall and Tang dynasty tomb figures from China; Jomon period pottery from Japan; and contemporary works such as The Grand Residence , considered by Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong among his most important works. Also, on long-term loan from The Smithsonian Institution

5264-517: The flames toward the fort. This tactic was first revealed by a British commander at Whydah in 1728, who countered it by burning the nearby villages during a sea breeze to prevent the Dahomeyan army from burning the villages during a land breeze. As a result of the threat posed by Oyo in the 18th century, the state built fortifications of its own with the help of a French officer from whom they learnt field fortification and artillery. According to

5358-608: The foundations of the museum's permanent collection, the European decorative arts comprise more than 12,000 objects including ceramics, glass, and furniture dating from the Renaissance to present day. Notable holdings include the only public collection of late 19th-century European cast iron items in the US and the Eugenia Woodward Hitt Collection of 18th-century French art, including furniture of

5452-504: The honorary title of Chachá, vice-king of Ajudá, and a monopoly on the exportation of slaves. In 1861, the kingdom of Porto-Novo , one of Dahomey's tributaries, was attacked by the British Royal Navy , which was participating in anti-slaving patrols. Porto-Novo asked for protection from France and became a French protectorate as a result in 1863. This status was rejected by King Behanzin , who still declared Porto-Novo to be

5546-409: The human sacrifice of slaves and removed the death penalty for certain lesser offenses, such as adultery. Despite the kingdom's history of brutality, King Ghezo was often characterized as honorable and unconquerable, even by his enemies. British missionary Thomas Birch Freeman also depicted him as "one of the most remarkable men of his age, whether we consider him in his private capacity as a man, or as

5640-409: The king. According to one oral tradition, as part of the tribute owed by Dahomey to Oyo, Agaja had to give to Oyo one of his sons. The story claims that only Hwanjile, of all of Agaja's wives, was willing to allow her son to go to Oyo. This act of sacrifice, according to the oral tradition made Tegbesu, was favored by Agaja. Agaja reportedly told Tegbesu that he was the future king, but his brother Zinga

5734-603: The kingdom as an absolute monarchy led by a despotic king. These depictions were often deployed as arguments by different sides in the slave trade debates, mainly in the United Kingdom , and as such were probably exaggerations. Recent historical work has emphasized the limits of monarchical power in the Kingdom of Dahomey. Historian John C. Yoder, with attention to the Great Council in the kingdom, argued that its activities do not "imply that Dahomey's government

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5828-558: The kingdom had developed a standing army that remained encamped wherever the king was. Soldiers in the army were recruited as young as seven or eight years old, initially serving as shield carriers for regular soldiers. After years of apprenticeship and military experience, they were allowed to join the army as regular soldiers. To further incentivize the soldiers, each soldier received bonuses paid in cowry shells for each enemy they killed or captured in battle. This combination of lifelong military experience and monetary incentives resulted in

5922-413: The kingdom. At the end of the discussions, the king would declare the consensus of the group. Key positions in the King's court included the migan (Prime Minister), the mehu (Finance Minister), the yovogan , the tokpo (Minister of Agriculture), the agan (general of the army), the kpojito (or queen mother), and later the chacha (or viceroy) of Whydah. Each of these cabinet positions—which, with

6016-411: The kingdom. Unlike other regional powers, the military of Dahomey did not have a significant cavalry (like the Oyo empire) or naval power (which prevented expansion along the coast). From the 18th century, the state could obtain naval support from Ardra where they had created a subordinate dynasty after conquering the state in the early 18th century. Dahomey enlisted the services of Ardra's navy against

6110-414: The largest part of the income for the king. In addition, Tegbesu's rule is the one with the first significant kpojito or mother of the leopard with Hwanjile in that role. The kpojito became a prominently important person in Dahomey royalty. Hwanjile, in particular, is said to have changed dramatically the religious practices of Dahomey by creating two new deities and more closely tying worship to that of

6204-436: The last king, Béhanzin , to be overthrown and the country annexed into French West Africa . French Dahomey would gain independence in 1960 as the Republic of Dahomey , which would rename itself Benin in 1975. The Kingdom of Dahomey was referred to by many different names and has been written in a variety of ways, including Danxome , Danhome , and Fon . The name Fon relates to the dominant ethnic and language group,

6298-468: The last survivor of the Clotilda , in her book Barracoon . A notable descendant of a slave from this ship is Ahmir Khalib Thompson , an American music artist known as Questlove. Mr. Thompson's story is depicted in the PBS Television show Finding Your Roots [Season 4, Episode 9]. The Oyo Empire engaged in frequent conflicts with the Kingdom of Dahomey and Dahomey became a tributary of

6392-482: The movement of a 700 canoe force belonging to Whydah. As a result, the Whydah army had to survive on the boats for months sustaining its forces with fish diet. According to Thornton , Dahomey used this strategy of siege causeways again in 1776 against another opponent state where it built 3 bridges to connect the island housing the opponent forces. Coastal belligerents opposing Dahomey allied with European forts against

6486-436: The museum's library is one of the most comprehensive art research libraries in the southeastern US. Holdings include a broad range of materials including general art reference works, auction catalogues, artists' files, periodicals, indexes, exhibition catalogs, and databases. The Chellis Wedgwood Library, the largest and most comprehensive special collection in the world related to Josiah Wedgwood and his manufactures, along with

6580-464: The norm, with the kingship typically (but not always) going to the oldest son. The king was selected largely through discussion and decision in the meetings of the Great Council, although how this operated was not always clear. The Great Council brought together a host of different dignitaries from throughout the kingdom yearly to meet at the Annual Customs of Dahomey . Discussions would be lengthy and included members, both men and women, from throughout

6674-478: The origin for the royal family according to oral tradition, and in 1727 he conquered Whydah . This increased size of the kingdom, particularly along the Atlantic coast, and increased power made Dahomey into a regional power. The result was near constant warfare with the main regional state, the Oyo Empire , from 1728 until 1740. The warfare with the Oyo empire resulted in Dahomey assuming a tributary status to

6768-542: The position key to contact with Europeans). The relations between Dahomey and other countries were complex and heavily impacted by the transatlantic slave trade . In 1750, the Kingdom of Dahomey sent a diplomatic mission to Salvador , Portuguese colony of Brazil in order to strengthen diplomatic relations with this Portuguese colony following an incident which led to the expulsion of Portuguese-Brazilian diplomatic authorities in 1743. Other Dahomey missions were sent to Portuguese colony of Brazil from 1795 to 1805 with

6862-682: The present. The collection features fine examples of figure sculpture, masks, ritual objects, furniture and household and utilitarian objects, textiles, ceramics and metal arts, with an Egyptian false door , Yoruba mask, Benin bronze hip pendant, and a divination portrait of a king from Dahomey . Spanning the late 18th through mid-20th century, the museum's collection of American painting, sculpture, works on paper, and decorative arts features paintings by Gilbert Stuart , Childe Hassam , and Georgia O'Keeffe ; sculptures by Hiram Powers and Frederic Remington ; and important decorative pieces by Tiffany Studios and Frank Lloyd Wright . Considered one of

6956-654: The public on May 3, 1959. In the following years, the Kress Foundation made two important gifts to the museum: the trusteeship of a collection of Renaissance furniture and decorative objects in 1959, and the deed to the Italian paintings already on loan, along with eight additional works from the same period. The following year, the American Cast Iron Pipe Company loaned its Lamprecht Collection of German cast-iron objects (the largest in

7050-456: The purpose of strengthening relations with Portuguese colonial authorities and slave buyers residing in Brazilian territory, ensuring that they maintained an interest in purchasing enslaved people supplied by Dahomey rather than rival kingdoms. It is also recorded that in 1823, the Kingdom of Dahomey formally recognized Brazil's independence , making it one of the first political entities in

7144-446: The size of the kingdom and increased both domestic dissent and regional opposition. Tegbessou ruled over Dahomey at a point where it needed to increase its legitimacy over those whom it had recently conquered. As a result, Tegbesu is often credited with a number of administrative changes in the kingdom in order to establish the legitimacy of the kingdom. The slave trade increased significantly during Tegbessou's reign and began to provide

7238-527: The slave trade. King Ghezo's reign was marked by great battles and significant changes to the empire, including the elevation of the Agojie . These "Dahomey Amazon" were pivotal to the defeat of Oyo Empire. His reign also cemented the Kingdom of Dahomey as one of the most powerful African kingdoms that stood against British attempts, with Egba support, at converting people to Christianity, and maintained their traditional religion , known as Vodun . He abolished

7332-498: The slave trade. King Ghezo implemented new military strategies, which allowed them to take a physical stand against the Oyo, who were also a major competitor in the slave trade. He also put stipulations on Dahomey's participation in the slave trade. Under his reign, no longer would the Dahomey be traded, as they were under the leadership of his brother, Adandozan . Dahomey would focus on capturing their enemies and trading them instead. King Ghezo sought to eventually lead his people toward

7426-516: The state. Dahomey was able to capture Dutch and Portuguese forts in the 18th century through the use of ladders and sappers . Thornton writes that in 1737, Dahomey used scale ladders against the Dutch fort in Keta simultaneously as its sappers built a tunnel under the fort's bastion causing it to collapse when its defenders fired an artillery round within the bastion. A similar tactic was employed against

7520-596: The three most important American landscape paintings, the museum's Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California (1865) by Bierstadt was chosen by the National Endowment for the Humanities as one of 40 American masterpieces that best depict the people, places, and events that have shaped America and tell its story. Since opening in 1951, the Birmingham Museum of Art has collected and exhibited

7614-535: The tricontinental Atlantic Slave Trade . For much of the middle 19th century, the Kingdom of Dahomey became a key regional state, after eventually ending tributary status to the Oyo Empire . European visitors extensively documented the kingdom, and it became one of the most familiar African nations known to Europeans . The Kingdom of Dahomey was an important regional power that had an organized domestic economy built on conquest and slave labor , significant international trade and diplomatic relations with Europeans ,

7708-513: The village. The King of Dahomey ( Ahosu in the Fon language ) was the sovereign power of the kingdom. All of the kings claimed to be part of the Alladaxonou dynasty, claiming descent from the royal family in Allada . Much of the succession rules and administrative structures were created early by Kings Houegbadja , Akaba , and Agaja . Succession through the male members of the line was

7802-420: The works of academically trained native artists, the museum has built a collection of folk art, including painting, sculpture, quilts, and pottery. The museum's Asian art collection started with a gift of Chinese textiles in 1951, today, with more than 4,000 objects, is the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast. The collection hails from China , Korea , Japan , India , and Southeast Asia , featuring

7896-399: The world to do so. The transatlantic slave trade between Brazil and Dahomey remained intense even under pressure from the United Kingdom for its abolition . Francisco Félix de Sousa , a former enslaved person and later a major slave trader in the Dahomey region, became a politically influential figure in that kingdom after the ascent of Guezo to the Dahomean throne. He was granted

7990-419: The world). A level of upper floor galleries was added to the building's west wing in 1965. In 1967 a new east wing was completed. Additional land was purchased in 1969, and in 1974 another addition included a three-story rebuilding of the east wing. Further reworking of the east wing added a conservation lab, loading dock, and a second public entrance to the building in 1979, and the following year, gallery space

8084-456: Was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a regional power in the 18th century by expanding south to conquer key cities like Whydah belonging to the Kingdom of Whydah on the Atlantic coast which granted it unhindered access to

8178-424: Was a highly militaristic society constantly organised for warfare; it engaged in wars and raids against neighboring nations and sold captives into the Atlantic slave trade in exchange for European goods such as rifles , gunpowder , fabrics , cowrie shells , tobacco , pipes , and alcohol . Other captives became slaves in Dahomey, where they worked on royal plantations or were killed in human sacrifices during

8272-538: Was completed in 1993. The facility encompasses 180,000 square feet (17,000 m ), including an outdoor sculpture garden. The museum is part of the Monuments Men and Women Museum Network, launched in 2021 by the Monuments Men and Women Foundation . The museum's growing collection of nearly 2,000 objects is derived from the major culture groups of sub-Saharan Africa and dates from the 12th century to

8366-439: Was democratic or even that her politics approximated those of nineteenth-century European monarchies. Such evidence supports the thesis that governmental decisions were molded by conscious responses to internal political pressures as well as by executive fiat." The primary political divisions revolved around villages with chiefs and administrative posts appointed by the king and acting as his representatives to adjudicate disputes in

8460-861: Was donated to the museum in 2013. Among the highlights of the European art holdings is the Kress Collection of Renaissance Art, featuring Renaissance and Baroque paintings, sculpture and decorative arts dating from the late 13th century to c.  1750 , with works by Pietro Perugino , Antonio Canaletto , and Paris Bordone . Other strengths include 17th-century Dutch paintings by Jacob van Ruisdael , Ferdinand Bol , and Balthasar van der Ast ; British 18th-century painting, with portraits by Thomas Gainsborough and Thomas Lawrence ; and 18th- and 19th-century French paintings by Francois-Hubert Drouais , Jean-Baptiste Oudry , Mary Cassatt , Gustave Courbet , and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot . One of

8554-521: Was expanded by 28,000 square feet (2,600 m ) . In 1986 another expansion project was planned and architect Edward Larrabee Barnes , in conjunction with local architect KPS Group, Inc., was selected to oversee the design, which included provision for a new outdoor sculpture garden and 50,000 square feet (5,000 m ) of exhibition space bringing the total to 180,000 square feet (15,400 m ) . Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey ( / d ə ˈ h oʊ m i / )

8648-533: Was forced to sign a treaty surrendering Porto-Novo and Cotonou to the French. It later returned to raiding the area and disregarded French complaints, triggering the Second Franco-Dahomean War in 1892. The kingdom was defeated in 1894, it was annexed into the French colonial empire as French Dahomey , and King Behanzin was exiled to Algeria . The Portuguese fort at Ouidah was destroyed by

8742-498: Was still the official heir. When King Ghezo ascended the throne in 1818, he was confronted by two immediate obstacles: the Kingdom of Dahomey was in political turmoil, and it was financially unstable. First, he needed to gain political independence by removing the tributary yoke that the Yoruba empire of Oyo had over the Dahomey since 1748. Secondly, he needed to revitalize the Dahomey economy. Both of these objectives relied on

8836-430: Was unable to end the slave trade because of domestic pressure. He explained to them that the entire region had become dependent on the slave trading, so ending immediately would destabilize his kingdom and lead to anarchy. King William Dappa Pepple of Bonny and King Kosoko of Lagos took the same stance toward the British requests. Instead, King Ghezo proposed an expansion of the palm oil trade and gradual abolition of

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