13 Facts About Winifred Mason

Winifred Mason was an African-American jeweler who was active in New York during the 1940s.

Winifred Mason worked primarily in copper, and was inspired by West Indian cultural traditions.

Winifred Mason is believed to be the first commercial African-American jeweler in the United States.

Winifred Mason escaped from Haiti following the murder of her husband by the Tonton Macoute in 1963, and returned to the United States.

Winifred Mason, was born on January 31,1912, in Brooklyn, New York.

Winifred Mason received a BS in English Literature in 1934, and went on to receive a MA in education from New York University in 1936.

Winifred Mason's first piece of jewelry appeared in 1940, and it was a pendant in bronze, copper, and silver.

Winifred Mason never repeated her works and every piece she made was unique.

Winifred Mason operated a store in New York selling Haitian art.

Winifred Mason Chenet escaped and returned to the United States.

Winifred Mason Chenet was later active in championing other female black artists.

Winifred Mason was honored by Girls Friends, an organization for black women, in 1990.

Winifred Mason had served as a vice president of their Brooklyn chapter in 1939.