Career Choices for 18-year-old black girls in Detroit Michigan in the early 1960s were limited to say the least. Gayle Wald of George Washington University presented to us yesterday on The Other Girl Groups of Motown. It was a very interesting lecture because Ms. Wald cracked open a lot of unasked questions about those who got a Motown contract and all of the others who didn’t…well what would happen to all of those not so talented or undiscovered young women?
I understood the purpose of her lecture was a focus on the distinction made by Motown’s Berry Gordy between the superior treatment and marketing of the Supremes and the not so beloved by Berry other “Girl Groups”. For our NEH institute focus on Motown 1959-1975 this was on topic. As we viewed and discussed footage of Mary Wells, Martha and the Vandellas and the Marvelettes, the distinction between first class Motown treatment (extra charm classes with Maxine Powers, more sequined gowns, preferred sessions with the Funk Brothers) and second-class treatment was deftly achieved. Yet, I couldn’t help wondering about all of the other Detroit girls. After all I myself am a Detroit native.
Because I am a visual artist as well as a teacher I sketch frequently during lectures. It is not uncommon for me to take out my colored pencils to develop my drawings during class, drawings reflecting our discussion of the moment. This lecture found me creating an entire stage set for my wondering about those other Detroit girls and their career choices. Gaye Wald had laid out the options for those ‘others’: domestic worker, mommy, or assembly line factory girl. Rather than going with my NEH girl group to the Super-Marshalls after class, I went to my apartment and got busy with my scissors and some recycled items. I have expanded them into full color paper dolls with a stage backdrop featuring where their labor might take place.
The first picture features the mommy choice, with a baby bottle, diaper pins and a recycled grocery ad for backing of radishes (My French ex-husband called our son a little ‘radish’). Unfortunately this picture is slightly blurred. This is the stay at home and raise babies option. I included thoughts on the potential perils, which a young black mother in Detroit may have faced at that time. (Or an any race mother at anytime for that matter!)
The second piece features option #2: the Domestic Worker. I used the cherry tomato ad as a background because many domestic workers are abused sexually and tomatoes are often used in art to represent female anatomy. Fortunately, I backed my camera out this time and the picture is clear. I included a broom and a milk pitcher for her.
Here is the third career option: assembly line worker. Because I feel this choice would have led to the greatest mobility I decided to dress my girl in her coveralls and place her on the pedestal for making a good choice. If you observe the ‘stage’ backdrop you will see the location for each of the choices. The Inkster projects of Detroit are for the Mommy choice. The Ford Motor Company River Rouge plant (where the Marvelettes did a first music video) are for our assembly line worker; I included plenty of smog and the 2:45 second plant record for building a Mustang. The third depiction is of a tony address in the super-rich community of Grosse Pointe, employer of numerous domestics.
-- Laura Butterfield
