I went antiquing this weekend (can’t say I say that often) in Brooklyn and found priceless old photographs, only after sifting through probably hundreds of images. It didn’t surprise me that I didn’t come across many images of nonwhite people but it did get kind of exhausting after a while. There were countless pictures of families, friends, and individuals navigating both ordinary and special days, covering a span of life events, down to the minute. But the absence of images of people of color, specifically African Americans, was discouraging. It’s almost as if they were written out of the American family, memory, and citizenship. But I am grateful for these gems that I did manage to find, enjoy:
text written in red ink on the photo: Jack Henderson, 1910-1974. based on that, I assume this image was captured in the 60s? toward the end of this man’s life.there’s no information on the photo but I want to say that they’re sisters? they have to be family, they have the same eyes.how regal does this woman look?there’s no information on this picture either. I love her pose.
LOL is it just me or do you love this man’s facial expression, too? I wonder what he was thinking in this moment. the postcard caption reads: Manhattan Series #106. Portrait of a New York family – 1905, Photograph by W.S. Ritch.two women on a stoop. postcard caption reads: NYC Tenement Series #110. West 53rd St., Manhattan – 1927postcard caption: Historic Brooklyn Series #322. Local 135 workers on strike, picketing Colonial Laundry at Lexington and Grand Avenues. Clinton Hill, Brooklyn – 1934.
back to images from the antique shop:
and the ultimate gem, looks to have been published in a magazine: March 25, 1965 – Montgomery, Alabama: Dr. Martin Luther King leads estimated 10,000 or more civil-rights marchers out on last leg of their Selma-to-Montgomery march. (UPI Photos). Coretta Scott King ❤the talented Debbie Allen in an advertisement for the 1981 movie, Ragtime, which was actually set in the early 1900s. #HowardUniversity #excellenceHoward E. Rollins, Jr., Debbie’s costar in the 1981 film, which was actually set in the early 1900s. I love the phone he’s holding. I love everything about his features, from his hair, eyebrows, eyes. #perfection
glad you found the images powerful. I was intrigued by that too! (the maid). Yes, I purchased them. The antique shop I went to had 2 big buckets: 1 filled w/medium to large prints (sold for a dollar each) and the other one w/4×6, polaroid size photos (priced at 4 photos for $1).
Wow, to be able to own pieces of the human experience for next to nothing.
Thanks for sharing.
exactly. It’s important to recover and have these images in our possession so we may keep them alive. and who knows, someone might recognize the subjects as family/relatives. Thanks for reading.
Betwixt and Between 
Powerful.
Interesting that the family had a non-black woman as the main. Got to be something to that.
Did you purchase these photos? What kind of price would an antique shop place on these?
glad you found the images powerful. I was intrigued by that too! (the maid). Yes, I purchased them. The antique shop I went to had 2 big buckets: 1 filled w/medium to large prints (sold for a dollar each) and the other one w/4×6, polaroid size photos (priced at 4 photos for $1).
Wow, to be able to own pieces of the human experience for next to nothing.
Thanks for sharing.
exactly. It’s important to recover and have these images in our possession so we may keep them alive. and who knows, someone might recognize the subjects as family/relatives. Thanks for reading.
I love this!
it was love at first sight for me too, glad you enjoyed 🙂