SF/Arts Curator Insight

Now serving as an arts hub, SF's Fort Mason was first put into operation as a military site during the Civil War, and was a critical logistics and transport hub for the Quartermasters Corps of the Army through two world wars. Afro-futurist artist Cauleen Smith created colorful flags to fly atop the fort's re-installed historic flagpoles that poignantly, and sometimes humorously, address the history of Black American soldiers, most of whom were assigned support roles providing fellow troops with quarters, clothing, food, and equipment.