Daniel Island native son Philip Simmons will be featured at the soon to open International African American Museum in Charleston.
From a recent IAAM email…..”During a career that lasted nearly 80 years, Simmons fashioned more than 1,000 wrought iron pieces, including gates, benches, and decorative art. Simmons and his ironwork left a lasting mark throughout Charleston, found on homes, churches, and other buildings across the city.
His artistry reflects the historic traditions and skills of African and African descendant blacksmiths. Trained by Peter Simmons, a formerly enslaved man, Philip Simmons transformed his ironwork from functional tools into marketable artwork in the 20th century.
Simmons was a local treasure to Charleston, and his ironwork has gained recognition across the nation, a lasting testament to how African folkways and practices continue to leave a mark on our culture and landscape today.
Thanks to a generous gift, the museum is now in possession of two pieces of Philip Simmons’s work. These matching window grates were made by Simmons for the Brasington’s home on East Bay Street in Charleston.
We are humbled to be the home to these unique pieces of Simmons’s ironwork, and we are beyond grateful for your continued support in bringing this place to life. This is just one of many artifacts the museum will host, and we cannot wait to show them to the world.”
At our February 2022 DIHS meeting, Tuesday, February 15, , IAAM President/CEO Tonya Mathews
will take DIHS members and guests on a virtual “behind the scenes” tour of the new museum. For more details CLICK HERE.
