19th Century African Americans Photo Archive

[Early Photography] [African American] Rare collection of African American men from the 1870s-1900s. Archive of 4 original photographs; including two tintypes, an one albumen. Measure from 2.25" x 3.25" - 4.5" x 6.5". An interesting albumen from the late 1890s, early 1900s shows a Black man and a young Black boy standing on railroad tracks behind a caboose where four white men are shown on or by. The African American man wears a hat and carries a large sac on his back, he may have been a passenger, or railroad worker or merchant as the young boy holds a basket full of produce. The two tin types show singular portraits of two different Black men all in (truncated) clothing popular towards the end of the 19th century. The two men have bowler caps, one is wearing it paired with a three piece suit and a cane, the other is in a vest holding his hat in one hand, while his other hand rests on a table. These portraits come from a time after emancipation when African Americans were creating new lives for themselves. Corners are clipped on one image, overall photos are crisp and in very good condition. (Inventory #: 20272)