E. Josephine Martin

The hat was made by E. Josephine Martin, a designer and finisher who worked for Pryor Furs in the Hill District. Pryor Furs was established by William Andrew Pryor Sr. (1913-2000) in 1947. Pryor Furs was the only black owned and operated furrier on the East Coast and this garnered a lot of racial discrimination and tension for the family business. The store has been currently closed however but was in operation for more than 50 years. Another item related to the hat made by Martin is a hat mold.

Jones, LaMont. “Master Furrier, Business Owner.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Newspapers.com. p.50. 28 October 2000.

Sauer, Georgia. “A Furrier and His Family.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Newspapers.com. p.43,50. 9 October 1997.