The image depicts a seated woman in a half-body portrait within an ornate gold-colored border. She is sitting upright with her hands in lace gloves in front of her. The woman has a composed expression, short hair, and wears a dark dress with lace details. The background is plain, emphasizing the details of her attire and the frame. No jewelry is visible.
American 19th Century, "Remember Me, Annie", c. 1860, tintype with applied color, Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.34

Upcoming Exhibition

Remember Me

Picturing African Americans in Early Photography

Details

  • Dates

    -

  • Locations

    West Building

    West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G30

  • Ticketing Information

    Admission is always free and passes are not required

Early photographs helped African Americans shape how they were seen—both in front of the camera and behind it.  

Explore the powerful role photography played in African American life from the 1800s to early 1900s. Through some 70 portraits and studio images, the exhibition reveals how African Americans used photography to define values and build community.

Step back in time to explore how Black sitters posed for portraits in largely white-owned studios in the years before and after the Civil War. Meet early Black entrepreneurs who operated their own thriving photography studios. Through the camera lens we can glimpse Black life and culture in the late 1800s and into the early 20th century.  

Together, these photographs trace a growing sense of empowerment and invite us to look closely at the people—and stories—behind the camera. 

Selected works

Glenalvin Goodridge, Portrait of a Cat, c. 1858, ambrotype, Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.11
The image depicts six individuals in a group portrait. Three individuals are seated in the front row, while three are standing behind them. The group includes five women and one person seated centrally. The three standing women wear white nurse uniforms with head coverings featuring a cross emblem. The seated women wear white dresses and each holds a small American flag. The man in the center wears a military-style uniform with tall boots and a flat-brimmed hat, resting one elbow on his knee. An American flag serves as a backdrop behind the group. The setting appears to be indoors, with a dark background featuring vague shapes that could be trees or a studio backdrop.
American 20th Century, Portrait of Red Cross Nurses, 1918, gelatin silver print, Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.141
American 19th Century, "Remember Me, Annie", c. 1860, tintype with applied color, Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.34
The image shows a young male from the waist up. He is seated with both hands resting on his lap. He has a solemn expression with deep-set eyes, full lips, and short, closely-cropped hair. He is wearing a military uniform, including a coat with brass buttons, a belt with a rectangular buckle, and a cap with a short brim. Attached to his belt are two small sheathed knives or tools. The background is plain, and the photograph is housed in an ornate golden frame with an oval opening and decorative floral motifs.
American 19th Century, Portrait of a Soldier, c. 1863, ambrotype with applied color, Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.60
The image depicts a woman standing from the waist up. She has her hands behind her back and is wearing a light-colored blouse with a dark collar and two buttons. The woman has long, dark hair flowing past her shoulders in soft waves, and she appears to have a serious expression with expressive eyes. She is wearing a skirt or dress with a defined waist, secured by a belt with a circular buckle. The background is plain and blurred, and the photograph is mounted on a cardboard frame with an inscription indicating the photographer and location in New Haven, Connecticut.
Fred S. Tisdell, Portrait of a Woman, c. 1910, gelatin silver print (cabinet card), Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation, 2023.39.220

Stories

Article:  Rare Early Photographs of African American Life

A large collection of personal photographs offers a glimpse of Black entrepreneurship and self-expression in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Organization  
Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Curated by Diane Waggoner, curator of photographs, with Sarah Greenough, former senior curator and head of photographs, both from the National Gallery of Art  

Sponsors
The exhibition is made possible through the leadership support of the Trellis Charitable Fund.  

Additional support for this exhibition was provided by Nion McEvoy and Leslie Berriman.

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