Betty Fullilove, "Sweet Black," St. Gabriel, Louisiana 30 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this tintype portrait of Betty Fullilove in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. The title, "Sweet Black," immediately complicates the image. Is it an endearing term, or something else? Tintypes like this were popular in the 19th century and early 20th century. We see the resurgence of this older photographic process in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Luster’s choice to use this process connects her portrait to a history of portraiture linked to ideas about documentation and the construction of identity. Here, Luster invites us to consider ideas about race, representation, and cultural memory. Louisiana's history of slavery and racial segregation are important to consider when we look at this photograph. Historical archives, census records, and oral histories can provide valuable context for understanding the complex social dynamics that shaped this image. Art history reminds us that meaning is not fixed, but evolves through ongoing dialogue and interpretation.