Fashion Designer Releases Collection Featuring Black History At Predominantly White Institutions
Table of Contents
ToggleMeet Jaquial Durham, a Clemson, South Carolina, native who uses his passion for fashion to share Black history at predominantly white institutions.
Through Durham’s fashion and media company, Public Culture, he highlights the history of African Americans through hand-painted art. His innovative designs include QR codes that can be scanned to share the backstory behind each design.
His first collection draws inspiration from Dr. Rhondda Robinson Thomas‘ book, Call My Name, Clemson, which highlights the contributions of African Americans to Clemson University and the land.
“On white campuses in the South, there is an untold story,” DurhAm told “Greenville News.”
He got his start in fashion design after skipping his prom and using the money his grandmother gave him for his tuxedo to start his own fashion line.
“She was upset, but that’s what I wanted to do,” Durham recalls.
After an opportunity at Mr. Knickerbockers, Clemson’s official store for merchandise, fell through due to the company not liking Durham’s designs, he pursued higher education. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from Winston-Salem State University and two masters from George Washington University and Georgetown University.
It was while pursuing another degree that Durham finally released his Public Culture collection.
“It was perfect timing because I also was recently admitted for my doctoral degree at Clemson,” Durham said. “And so it was perfect, to be admitted to the university, come back home and be more involved with the community.”
In addition to pieces inspired by Dr. Rhondda Robinson Thomas, other pieces celebrate Harvey Gantt, the first Black student admitted to Clemson; Eva Hester Martin, a direct descendant of labored slaves on the Fort Hill Plantation; and Littlejohn Grill, a location where mostly Black Clemson residents would hang out.
“I decided to release them separately because I wanted to give each piece its own life story in his own life and his own time to shine,” Durham said.
Durham’s future collections will share African American history at other predominantly white institutions in the south, including the University of Florida, the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Alabama.
You may also like
Archives
- July 2025
- June 2025
- May 2025
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016