King of Chumbiri, Africa, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This lithograph, titled "King of Chumbiri, Africa," was produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of a series called "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers" to be included in packets of cigarettes. The image, created in the late 19th century in the United States, presents an African leader, but through the lens of American commercial culture and popular racial theories. Consider the title of the series itself – what does it reveal about American attitudes toward non-Western societies? The image is striking, but also deeply problematic, reflecting the biases of its time. The publishers clearly aimed to titillate consumers through this series. To understand it fully, we can look to sources from the period, such as travel writing, ethnographic studies, and advertising ephemera. By examining these materials, we can begin to unpack the complex social and institutional contexts that shaped the production and consumption of images like this one.