Archival Snapshot 1896 - Women’s Boxy Tee

The Story: A Melody Preserved in Exile

In the spring of 1896, seven young Korean scholars arrived at the gates of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Their journey was one of "wild and romantic" ambition -- an odyssey that took them from Japan to Canada, and finally to one of the few American institutions dedicated to educating students of color during the Reconstruction era.

On July 24, 1896, the needle dropped on a wax cylinder phonograph, capturing the voices of these students as they sang "Arirang." This recording, facilitated by ethnologist Alice C. Fletcher, became the first known audio record of the Korean folk song in the United States -- a defiant act of cultural preservation while their homeland faced an era of deep imperial uncertainty.

At a time when racial barriers were strictly enforced across the United States, Howard University -- a Historically Black Institution -- served as a vital sanctuary. By opening its doors to these seven students, Howard became an early global haven, fostering a unique moment of cross-cultural solidarity. With this Archival Snapshot 1896 Tee, you commemorate the sanctuary found within these walls and the enduring legacy of the voices that first sang "Arirang" into the crackle of a phonograph.

Celebrate (the) pioneers. Preserve the melody.

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Design Features

• Front Graphic: A high-fidelity reproduction of the 1896 archival portrait of the Korean students. The text "Arirang 1896" sits above the image (in two of Howard University’s primary colors), anchored by a Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon), symbolizing the "eternal blossom" of Korean resilience.
• Back Graphic: A curated collage featuring students from the Howard University Class of 1896. The design includes vintage technical elements: a gramophone and wax cylinders, representing the intersection of 19th-century technology and the birth of Arirang's recorded history, as well as actual newspaper text clippings from the Washington Times Herald May 1896. With the final graphic detail of a light oak leaf in the corner, representing the national backdrop of the United States.

** Images are based on archival images and not meant to be exact replicas. This apparel has no affiliation with Howard University. **