Housing, Conditions: United States. New Jersey. Newark: Housing Conditions in Newark, New Jersey: III. Yard of negro house illustrating bad repair. The hydrant serves as sole water supply for several families. Both the yard and cellar are cluttered with papers, ashes and decaying organic material. c. 1903

Editor: This photograph by Jessie Tarbox Beals, titled "Housing Conditions in Newark, New Jersey", depicts a stark, dilapidated yard. The shared water hydrant really stands out. How do you interpret this work within its historical context? Curator: Beals’s image serves as a powerful indictment of systemic inequality. Think about the Jim Crow era; this photograph highlights the deliberate neglect of Black communities and their limited access to basic resources like clean water. Editor: So, it's more than just a picture of poverty? Curator: Precisely. It exposes the intentional creation of these conditions, linking racial discrimination to environmental injustice. The decaying materials speak volumes about the disregard for human life, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, I hadn't considered the active role of discrimination in creating this environment. Curator: Understanding art like this demands we confront uncomfortable truths about power, race, and responsibility, even today.